Image: Claire Lower
Hilariously (?), waffling things remains entirely workable. Its quick, requires really little prep work (if any), and the only thing soiled is the waffle iron itself, and it can typically just be wiped tidy. This, combined with home cheese fatigue, is how I came to waffle a box of frozen pierogi.
I will confess that I was not impressed with this particular waffle at very first. It looks anemic, exhausted and uninspired. Unlike many things I have waffled, it does not brown really quickly or well, but dumplings do not always need golden a crust. I was totally prepared to be underwhelmed by the pierogi waffles, but they were surprisingly wonderful. Although the divots werent browned, they were crisped, offering a nice little textural contrast. A bit of the potato filling crushed out, but browned mashed potatoes taste respectable, so that was no fantastic catastrophe either.
For me, bad state of minds manifest as a complete disinterest in cooking for myself, so I order a lot of takeout or shovel cottage cheese into my mouth while standing in front of an open refrigerator. When I can manage a percentage of cooking, its typically heating up something from frozen, however even that can seem like too much.
I have actually been experiencing some mood problems recently, which isnt truly that special or surprising. Great deals of people are feeling shitty right now, since things are shitty. Both stress and anxiety and anxiety can affect ones relationship with food, and my job as a food writer does not exempt me from this.
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However– most notably– I was thrilled by how equally they prepared. Usually, frozen stuffed delicacies are vulnerable to what I call “the Hot Pockets predicament”– a phenomenon in which the filling is both tooth-chillingly cold and tongue-scorchingly hot at the same time. However the mild flattening supplied by the waffle iron takes care of that: Fresh out of the waffle maker, pierogis are pillowy and warm, but also crunchy in areas– and it only takes a couple of minutes to get them there.
Theres no requirement to thaw the pierogi first– simply toss a couple in straight from the freezer. Set your waffle maker to medium-high, then gently close the plates, letting the leading one rest on the pierogi. After about 30 seconds, provide it a gentle press, and repeat till the waffle maker is about a half-inch from fully closed. Let the pierogi cook until there are clearly defined square divots on the surface. A little filling might crush out; thats alright, due to the fact that you like those lacy little browned little bits of filling. Once you begin to see a touch of browning, proceed and remove your dumplings, then dip them in sour cream or curry catsup, which will be adoringly nestled by those obvious waffle-y divots. Those divots really are so essential.
Its fast, needs extremely little prep work (if any), and the only thing dirtied is the waffle iron itself, and it can generally just be wiped clean. Unlike a lot of things I have actually waffled, it does not brown very quickly or well, but dumplings do not always need golden a crust. I was entirely prepared to be underwhelmed by the pierogi waffles, but they were surprisingly wonderful. The gentle flattening offered by the waffle iron takes care of that: Fresh out of the waffle maker, pierogis are pillowy and warm, however likewise crunchy in spots– and it just takes a few minutes to get them there.
Set your waffle maker to medium-high, then gently close the plates, letting the top one rest on the pierogi.
