Lunch: Stuffles (Stuffing Waffles)

Recipe by Daniel Shumsky Whether from scratch or from a box, all roads lead to stuffles.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. dried sage
6 c. dry bread cubes
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion is soft and the celery is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and dried sage and cook for 1 minute more to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and chicken broth, then pour that mixture over the bread. Add the vegetable mixture and stir.
Preheat the waffle iron on medium (see Note). Preheat the oven on its lowest setting.
Allow the stuffing mixture to sit for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid completely, stirring it once or twice.
Coat both sides of the waffle iron grid with nonstick spray. Measure about 1/2 cup of the stuffing mix and place it on one section of the waffle iron. (This measure is approximate. Use enough of the mixture to slightly overstuff each section of the waffle iron. Waffle irons with deeper grooves may need a bit more stuffing.)
Close the lid and press down to compress the stuffing.
After 4 minutes, open the lid to check on the stuffle. It should be golden brown and cohesive. Use a silicone spatula to loosen the edges before sliding the spatula underneath the stuffle and lifting it out. (If you’re worried about the stuffle holding together, it may be easier to use two spatulas — one for the top and one for the bottom.)
Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for the remaining stuffing mixture. Keep completed stuffles warm in the oven.