At Anna’s Kitchen Table

Huge claim?
It’s so true I can’t begin to tell you….well, on second thoughts, perhaps I can try.

These are the things this recipe IS NOT:

Gloopy
Gluey
Lumpy
Tasteless
Like wallpaper paste.

These are the things this recipe IS:

Toasty
Nutty
Toothsome
Divine
Delicious.

It has actually changed my mind completely about porridge. In fact, it can hardly be called that because the oats keep their toasted, fragrant shape. They don’t become an homogenous, lumpy mess. Not at all.
As the author says ‘They resemble a pot of nicely steamed grains more than they do an actual porridge’.

And, major bonus points, it takes hardly any time at all to prepare and the leftovers can be stored for up to five days in the fridge.
A whole work week of breakfasts.

This ground-breaking, life altering (it’s true!) recipe, comes from this wonderful book:

Whole-Grain Mornings by Megan Gordon

Which Sarah in Australia was rejoicing about.

Sarah, if you read this, the price of the book was worth it, many times over for this recipe alone! 🙂

Ok, so the oats have been toasted in butter, doused in cream and topped with brown sugar….I know, I know….but all natural, beautiful ingredients in moderation.
I’m sure you could leave the cream and sugar off, but do you really want to? 😉

And Hell! They sure start the day off on the right foot! 😉

The Very Best Oatmeal
Adapted from ‘Whole-Grain Mornings’ by Megan Gordon.
Serves 3.

1tbsp unsalted butter (I only keep salted at home, so I used that)
1 cup (100g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
3/4 cup & 1tbsp (195ml) water
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Double (heavy) cream for serving
Brown sugar for serving.

This is the way I did it:
1. Toast the oats until golden and nuttily fragrant for 5-7 minutes in the butter, over a medium heat (Mine took the full 7 minutes in my new ceramic pan, remind me to show it to you another time :))

2. Heat the milk and water together, until they boil, add to the toasted oats along with the salt and cinnamon.

3. Gently stir, ONLY ONCE OR TWICE so the oats are incorporated into the liquid. This is really important so that they don’t start becoming gooey and gloopy.

4. Cover the pot and turn OFF the heat!
Allow to sit on the burner for 7 minutes. Don’t peep and don’t stir. 😉

*important note: I have an electric hob which holds heat for a long time. I don’t know what kind of hob the author has, so I was kind of nervous to leave it on the hob in case it burnt! So I kept taking it off the burner, putting it back and so forth. I think next time I’ll be brave and leave it on the burner!*

After 7 minutes uncover and check. If the oats are a little wet let them stand another couple of minutes.

Mine were perfect. Really, really perfect.

Serve with cream and brown sugar, or your favourite toppings.

Do get this book, if like me, you’d like to increase your intake of whole grains at breakfast time, but run out of ideas. It’s really fab, so many great recipes! You need it.

Marks out of ten?  A big, fat 10!

Would I make it again?  I can’t imagine my life without it!

Would I do anything differently?  No!