11/23/12 • OATMEAL, ACCELERATED
Adapted from the Sept./Oct., 2012 Cook’s Illustrated
I’m going to keep this posting brief since between the enormous meal you’ve likely just consumed, the multitude of leftovers now residing in your fridge, and all the cooking you’ve had to do to get here, this probably isn’t the ideal moment for diving into some long-winded evaluation of a new recipe—no matter how stellar the results. In fact, I was so convinced this was the wrong moment for any further food talk that I’d pretty much decided to take the week off, with a planned return this time next week when everyone was just a little hungrier. And then it occurred to me that for all of these reasons this was the perfect occasion to share with you this accelerated recipe for old-fashioned, steel cut oatmeal.
The recipe is one I came across in Cook’s Illustrated several months ago. It immediately caught my eye because it resolves one of the big challenges of making oatmeal—how to deliver a smooth, nutty bowl of the stuff in a fraction of the forty minutes normally required. What’s more, the recipe offers a few simple techniques for flavoring the hot cereal with a variety of ingredients (apples, carrots, cranberries, etc.) . . . all genuinely useful, instructive information. And yet initially it felt too simple for me to bring to you here. That is, until I had the inner dialogue described above and realized simple (and sensible) was precisely what was called for on a week such as this one. Plus I’m a genuine oatmeal lover, so if this recipe/strategy is one I find helpful, who’s to say others of you won’t have the same reaction?
The secret lies in simply giving the oats an overnight soak. I say “simply,” but I realize that this step will pose its own challenges, as it requires devising a breakfast game plan before you go to bed, and that can be a tall order. Still, if you’re the organized sort or are capable of imagining what you might want to eat twelve or more hours in advance, this method has your name on it. And, in truth, once you’ve cleared this mental hurdle your work is essentially done, since all that’s required of you physically is to bring three cups of water to a boil, remove it from the heat, add a cup of oats and a small amount of salt to the hot liquid, give the whole thing a stir, cover it, and you’re done until morning. In other words, all of these steps can be completed in about the same amount of time (and with the same amount of effort) it takes to brush your teeth.
The reward, however, far outdistances these minimal exertions, as introducing the oats to the boiling water and then giving the mixture an overnight soak jump starts the process by which the grain breaks down—meaning it’s that much further along in the release of its starchy content. So when you lift the lid on your pot the next morning what you will find is something that already looks much like the oatmeal you will ultimately eat; the water will have turned white and creamy, and the oats themselves will have begun to plump and soften. All that remains (at least for the standard, unadulterated variety—more on the alternatives below) is to add the remaining cup of water, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer over medium heat for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture is chewy and thick. Let the cereal stand for five minutes or so to thicken up, and it’s ready to be spooned into bowls and crowned with whatever enhancements strike your fancy.
And for the marginally more ambitious (“marginally” because there’s barely any more work involved) you can swap out the final cup of water for a milk/juice mixture and add a small amount of fruit and other goodies to achieve something that tastes less like what Oliver Twist might have eaten, and more like those instant oatmeal packets you find at the grocery store (though exponentially better, of course). Of the three offered by CI I prefer the apple-cinnamon version (reproduced below; for the carrot spice and cranberry orange varieties, follow the link at the top of this posting), one that replaces that final cup of water with a milk and apple juice mixture, and calls for the addition of a 1/2 cup of peeled and shredded carrot, a few tablespoons of brown sugar, a small amount of cinnamon, and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. It’s a small change that manages to completely transform the flavor of the oatmeal into something reminiscent of apple pie, while still retaining the cereal’s signature chew and nutty flavor.
Inspired by this update on the traditional formula, I decided to follow the same proportions laid out by CI but swapping out the various ingredients to devise a pumpkin spice variety. So instead of a 1/2 cup of shredded apple I used a 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée (easily sourced at the supermarket), increasing the quantities of brown sugar and cinnamon slightly, and introducing a little freshly grated nutmeg and ginger into the mix as well (exact quantities are listed below). The result was as bright and crisp as a fall day—a supremely satisfying breakfast that was packed with seasonal flavor, but that didn’t make me feel as though I’d need to dial back on all subsequent meals. What more could you want for the morning after the biggest meal of the year?
Ingredients for standard variety:
—4 cups water
—1 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann)
—1/4 tsp salt
—Brown sugar, maple syrup, and/or dried fruit (for serving)
Ingredients for apple-cinnamon variety:
—3 cups water
—1 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann)
—1/2 tsp salt
—1/2 cup apple cider
—1/2 cup whole milk
—1/2 cup peeled, grated sweet apple
—2 tbs packed dark brown sugar
—1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
—Coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (about 2 tbs per serving)
Ingredients for TRG’s pumpkin spice variety:
—3 cups water
—1 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann)
—1/2 tsp salt
—1/2 cup apple juice
—1/2 cup whole milk
—1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin purée
—3 tbs packed dark brown sugar
—1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
—1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
—1/4 tsp freshly chopped ginger
—Coarsely chopped toasted pecans (about 2 tbs per serving)
Directions for standard variety:
—Bring 3 cups water to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in oats and salt. Cover pan and let stand overnight.
—Stir remaining 1 cup water into oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
—Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are softened but still retain some of their chew and mixture thickens and resembles warm pudding, 4 to six minutes.
—Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and serve, passing desired toppings separately.
Directions for apple-cinnamon variety:
—Bring 3 cups water to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in oats and salt. Cover pan and let stand overnight.
—Stir 1/2 cup apple cider and 1/2 cup whole milk into oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
—Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are softened but still retain some of their chew and mixture thickens and resembles warm pudding, 4 to six minutes.
—Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and serve, sprinkling each serving with 2 tbs chopped walnuts.
Directions for TRG’s pumpkin spice variety:
—Bring 3 cups water to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in oats and salt. Cover pan and let stand overnight.
—Stir 1/2 cup apple juice and 1/2 cup whole milk into oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
—Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are softened but still retain some of their chew and mixture thickens and resembles warm pudding, 4 to six minutes.
—Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and serve, sprinkling each serving with 2 tbs chopped pecans.
Serves 4
