"Top Chef" finalist and chef Adrienne Cheatham's debut cookbook, Sunday Best: Cooking Up the Weekend Everyday, is inspired by her southern heritage alongside technique she's learned while working in professional kitchens, like Red Rooster Harlem. The book's title is a nod to the Sunday family meal, as well as the custom of, especially in black communities, wearing one's "Sunday best" outfit for church, or going into town. Cheatham joins us to discuss the book, her SundayBest pop-up series, and take your calls.

This segment was guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan. 

RECIPE: 

Tater Tot Waffles wit­h Candied Bacon

Potatoes might just be my favorite food. I love them in all forms, especially made into crispy hash browns (or rösti, if you want to be European about it). My mom used to keep a big sleeve of hash browns in the freezer when I was growing up, so my sister and I could just pop them in the toaster oven, wrap them in a paper towel, and eat them on the way to school (we sometimes even used them as “bread” for breakfast sandwiches!).

This recipe combines my love for hash browns—represented by one of the world’s greatest inventions, the Tater Tot—and my obsession with crispy things and sticking everything I can into the waffle iron. You can even use those crinkle-cut French fries! As long as it’s a potato, anything goes.

SERVES 2 TO 4

CANDIED BACON

1 pound sliced applewoodsmoked bacon

¼ cup (packed; 55g) dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

TATER TOT WAFFLES

Nonstick cooking spray

1 package frozen Tater Tots, thawed (you can use your favorite brand, as well as any size bag to make as many waffles as you like)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. 2. MAKE THE CANDIED BACON: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bacon on it in a single layer.
3. Cook the bacon for 7 minutes. Flip the slices and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, pepper, and ginger. Once the bacon has cooked on both sides, sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the tops of the slices. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue cooking until the bacon reaches your preferred level of crispiness, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the slices briefly on a paper-towel-lined plate, but be sure to remove the bacon before the sugar cools and begins sticking to the towels.
5. MAKE THE TATER TOT WAFFLES: Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
6. Spray the iron on both sides with cooking spray. Arrange the tots in a tight, even layer in the waffle iron, fitting as many as you can.
7. Close the waffle iron, pressing gently to flatten the tots, and cook until they are nicely browned and crispy all over, about 5 minutes. Serve with the candied bacon.

TIMING TIP

If you’re planning ahead, let your tots thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If it’s a game-time decision, no worries. Take your tots straight out of the freezer, spread them on a plate or baking sheet, and let them thaw at room temp for 20 minutes before proceeding.

SUNDAY BEST FINESSE

Although Tater Tot Waffles are amazing on their own (served with or without Candied Bacon), they’re even better with all manner of toppings. Think smoked salmon and crème fraîche, or Sausage Gravy (page 23) and sautéed peppers. In fact, when entertaining, I often like to cut them into small squares to use as the base of elegant hors d’oeuvres.

Reprinted from Sunday Best. Copyright © 2022 Adrienne Cheatham with Sarah Zorn.