Thursday, November 20, 2008

Again, Savory Oatmeal



I know I've written about this before, but I would feel dishonest if I didn't yet again emphasize how great savory oats are. So great that I eat them more days than not.

For anyone still going sweet, I strongly suggest that you liberate your avena sativa from such dubious (and often artificial) flavors like "cinnamon and spice." Cinnamon is a spice!

My most basic oats are simmered in a 2:1 ratio of salted water to oat, then drizzled with a little olive oil. It'll put hair on your chest, and if you already have hair on your chest, it will keep it there. And if you want to get fancy, crack an egg in there and whip it around until it mixes with the grain and fluffs things up.

Another simple yet excellent variation is to drop a thin slab of cheddar on the just cooked oats. I adore the way the cheese softens, breaks apart, and becomes one with the grain. For a bit of an eye opener, dust heavily with freshly cracked black pepper.

You'll never be able to eat anything called Raspberry Streusel Oatmeal To Go again.

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Recipe: Savory Oatmeal for One

1/2 cup oats
1 cup water
a dash of salt (or two pinches)
1 slice of cheddar
black pepper
(and/or 1 egg)

Bring the salted water to a boil, add the oats, reduce heat and simmer.

When the water has been absorbed and the oats are soft but still toothsome, pour them out into a bowl or small plate with the help of one of those flexible rubber scrapers.

Top with cheese and as much black pepper as you can handle that early in the morning.

If you want to include an egg, add it just before turning off the heat and stir vigorously until it disappears. Look for bits of white to know that it has cooked through.

Let dog lick bowl.

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10 comments:

Ruth said...

I have almond butter and tamari on mine. Some days, gomasio...mmmm.

Karen B said...

we've been having steel cut oats every morning this week, put in Dave's fancy new rice-cooker at night and timed to be ready for 8.30 in the morning. mmmmm. don't know if you can sway me from my brown sugar-raisins-and milk. is it sweet oatmeal you are against or just processed oatmeal?

Karen B said...

p.s. Dave is putting butter and maple syrup on his, which I think is kind of weird and I had a house guest ask for peanut butter and honey earlier in the week!

Jeff B said...

I'll need to try this. It's the time of year where oatmeal is making more sense. Karen B...your rice cooker treatment of steel cut oats is an eye opener....I'd just bought some the other day, not realizing it was a 30 minute cooking commitment. The rice cooker would take the sting out of that for sure...I'll be trying it soon...thanks.
http://chowplay.blogspot.com/

Jeff B said...

Ah! Found others doing the rice cooker thing, but also folks using a crockpot. Prepare the night before, and it's ready when you wake up. Now we're talking! May try this tonight/tomorrow!
http://chowplay.blogspot.com/

Maggie said...

I love savory hot cereal! Sometimes I do oats but mostly I use Bob's Red Mill High Fiber Hot Cereal (it's like tastier cream of wheat.) My latest combination to add in is smoked provolone and spicy salami.

Jeff B said...

Aaron...thanks for introducing this topic. You've expanded the scope of my oatmeal eating in ways you couldn't have imaged. Story here.

Anonymous said...

Hi Aaron,

Finally tried this after reading your post a few weeks ago, substituting bits of leftover soft French cheese I had lying around (I forget what, exactly).

Man, was it a bowl of creamy, oaty goodness!

Looking forward to experimenting with stock, veg, & seasonings.

Thanks for opening my eyes to the potential of savory oats!

Anonymous said...

Count me in the crockpot-steel cut oats contingent. I cook it right in the bowl on a rack to minimize cleanup.

The idea of savory oats is quite appealing, however and a pilaf of onion, garlic, carrots and other vegetables with maybe a little shmaltz might be worth trying. So I shall!

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