"The Mexican Mess" or Herbed Jalapeno-Cornmeal Waffles with Chorizo Gravy, Blackened Heirloom Tomato Salsa, Fried Eggs, & Fresh Cilantro

"The Mexican Mess" or Herbed Jalapeno-Cornmeal Waffles with Chorizo Gravy, Blackened
 Heirloom Tomato Salsa, Fried Eggs, & Fresh Cilantro

Hey guys... guess what? It's brunch time again. The best part of any week, by far. Well as far as we're concerned. So what do I have to share with y'all? Waffles. Savory Waffles. Savory Mexican Waffles. All I can say is that these would be the perfect hangover meal following your celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Yep, put this one in your back pocket, it'll be crucial in recovery. It starts off with my favorite waffle base, but adapted a slight bit. I added coarse cornmeal along with cumin, cilantro, chives, and jalapeno. You could just slather this waffles with butter and eat them like cornbread, just do it. I won't judge you. After these Mexican waffles have been stacked they are doused with a spicy, creamy chorizo gravy. Southerners love gravy, but we also like our shit spicy too, ya'hear? The gravy has this delightful pink-tinged color that makes me smile, maybe it'll make you smile too. That's debatable though because you could be hungover while eating this, and if that's the case, you won't be smiling, which is a-ok with me too. Once the waffles have been covered in gravy, the rest is really up to you & what you are feeling. We topped ours with fried eggs because well, we're fried egg junkies. And then some of my Homemade Blackened Heirloom Tomato Salsa was poured all over the top. But, ya know, I wish I had made some corn salsa for garnishing too (so y'all add that and make me proud). All that's left to do is to sprinkle on some fresh cilantro and you've got it made. Serve it warm with a cold Michelada and you don't need anything else!! Enjoy :)

fried egg perfection.

See the pink chorizo gravy? Love it.

And that, my friends, is why it is called The Mexican Mess

For the Herbed Jalapeno-Cornmeal Waffles:

1 ½C AP Flour

½C Cornstarch

½C Coarse Cornmeal

1t Baking Powder

½t Baking Soda

1t Salt & Sugar

¼t Black Pepper

Pinch of Chili Powder & Cumin 

1C Milk & Buttermilk

2/3C Vegetable Oil

2 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten

2-3T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

1T Fresh Chives, Minced

1 Fresh Jalapeno, Minced

For the Chorizo Gravy:

½lb Ground Chorizo, Cooked into Crumbles (discard the grease)

4T Unsalted Butter

3TAP Flour

2-3C Whole Milk

Pinch of Chili Powder

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Mexican Brunch Waffles:

Herbed Jalapeno-Cornmeal Waffles, Cooked until Crispy

Chorizo Gravy, Warm

Fried Eggs

Homemade Blackened Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Fresh Minced Cilantro, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For Herbed Jalapeno-Cornmeal Waffles: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, seasonings, herbs, and minced jalapeno. Whisk together to blend. In another mixing bowl, beat together the whole milk, buttermilk, oil, and egg. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk just until incorporated and few lumps remain. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat a waffle iron. Fill waffle wells and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The waffles should be crisp and golden brown. Keep them warm until you are ready to serve.

2. For the Chorizo Gravy: Fry the ground chorizo in a hot, deep skillet. Once crispy and crumbled, remove the chorizo and fat from the pan. Melt the butter, and then combine the fat with the flour in a skillet, continuously whisking, cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes until a roux is formed. Add the milk slowly to the skillet and mix the roux using a whisk. Turn the heat down to low and continue stirring until he mixture is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add in salt and a lot of pepper to taste (and any other seasonings you would like to add). If the gravy is too thick for your taste, you can thin it by adding more milk, a tablespoon at a time. Add in the cooked chorizo until combined. Keep warm until ready to serve.

3. For the “Mexican Mess”: Stack the waffles on the plate and then pour on some of the hot chorizo gravy. Top the stack with a fried egg and garnish the plate with the blackened heirloom tomato salsa and fresh cilantro.

4. Enjoy while they are still warm!