Initially published March 10, 2013
By Nancy Leson, previous Flavor contributor
AS A Kid, I considered oats ended up worth consuming in just one form only — cookies. When confronted with a bowl of Outdated Fashioned Quaker Oats or its ilk, all I could consider of was Oliver Twist regrettably begging for a lot more. (No, thanks.)
Now that I’m developed, I have acquired the hots for oatmeal, a filling breakfast as comforting as it is easy. And I’m not the only just one who thinks so.
Possibly you keep a stash of instant oatmeal in your office drawer, stand in line at Starbucks for a container of Excellent Oatmeal or strike the travel-up window at McDonald’s for its Undeniably Delicious edition. For my quick correct, I convert to Trader Joe’s frozen twin-packs, built with a blend of steel-cut and rolled oats, and flavored with brown sugar and maple syrup. A trip to the microwave and — zap! — hi, hot breakfast.
But currently I’ve absent slow-mo, choosing to pledge allegiance to my new mush crush — selfmade 100% metal-slice oats. If you were being pondering, “What the heck are steel-minimize oats?” amusing you need to inquire. Me, too.
The people at McCann’s Irish Oatmeal, purveyors of John C. McCann’s very best for additional than 150 years, outline steel-slash oats as whole-grain groats — the inner portion of the oat kernel — slice into two or a few parts applying metal discs. Rolled oats are lower oats, also, but the nubbins are steamed and flattened into flakes, decreasing cooking time and altering the taste and texture. As opposed to steel-minimize oats, the flakes are “more oaty, considerably less nutty,” suggests McCann’s, and “more gluey, much less chewy,” say I. People grainlike groats, with their wholesome bran intact, provide the form of healthy fiber that five out of five health professionals advise.
You may well favor McCann’s in its vintage-style can, but I’m a major proponent of the Northwest’s very own organically grown Bob’s Red Mill. Following Bob’s guidelines, I convey 3 cups of drinking water to a boil, add ¼ teaspoon of salt and a cup of oats, reduce to a simmer, then include and prepare dinner for 10 to 20 minutes, stirring often. That quantity would make sufficient for 4 servings, which I can divvy up and then freeze (or refrigerate) in personal containers.
Search the world-wide-web, and you are going to find umpteen ideas for steel-slice oatmeal more quickly-fixes. You could possibly soak the groats overnight to velocity cooking in the a.m., or slow-cook them in a Crock-Pot though you lie dreaming. If you have an electric rice cooker with a porridge and timer functionality, that is a great right away trick, too.
But when you have time on your fingers, test this handle, influenced by a recipe from Whidbey Island’s magnificent Braeburn restaurant in Langley.
Seared Oatmeal with Mint Butter
Prepare 4 servings of metal-cut oats till the oatmeal is on the dry aspect of creamy. Increase ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ cup of loosely packed brown sugar, and blend very well. Line an 8-inch sq. baking dish with plastic wrap. Evenly spray with cooking oil, pour in the oatmeal, unfold evenly and refrigerate for an hour. Slash into 4 equal parts and, on a flippantly oiled griddle, sear above medium-very low heat till browned (about 5 minutes just about every facet). Meantime, make the garnish: In a saucepan about medium heat, soften 4 tablespoons butter until bubbly, and include 8 leaves of roughly chopped refreshing mint. Plate cakes, garnish with mint butter — and call a person of those people health professionals to apologize, later.