This is a post about the easiest way to make perfectly cooked steel cut oats, the beauty that can be found in simplicity, and how to work a more streamlined version of the Porridge Ritual into your morning routine on days when you’re super busy.
Perfectly cooked steel cut oats need no flamboyant embellishment and are a wondrous thing all on their own. Their nutty flavor and rugged texture is often masked by too much sweetness or too much richness: syrupy compotes and luscious milks in Europe, brown sugar and candy cane-like dried fruits in the States. But just as the glow of someone’s skin can be dulled by too much powder, so too can the natural beauty of a grain be lost in a sea of over ornamentation. There is something deeply satisfying about a simple, naked bowl of steel cut oats topped with nothing more than a crispy piece of fresh fruit and finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a few jagged flecks of sea salt.
My Naked Porridge recipe contains what I call the holy quaternity: a whole grain, a protein source, some salt, and some fat. In this case, that’s steel cut oats, collagen protein, pink Himalayan salt, and olive oil. Breakfast is just that: the breaking of the fast between last night’s dinner and a long period of not eating, and I find that breaking that fast with this combination of elements sets the stage for stable blood sugar and sustained energy levels to carry me through the day. A simple piece of fresh cut fruit is all the sweetness I would like – I find that it’s bright purity of flavor is lost and becomes almost sickly when stewed or roasted into a compote, and I’ve learned the hard way that syrups and fruity sugar sauces will drop me off the edge of a steep blood sugar cliff not long after I’ve consumed them, leaving me shaky, emotional, exhausted, and all before 11 a.m. Truly a terrible way to break one’s fast.
The Porridge Ritual should be achievable. The point is to do it. The simplicity of this recipe makes the Porridge Ritual feasible for busy days, or for days when you just feel like something more stripped down and spartan. When you have the time and the inclination to make something a bit fancy, go for it. When you don’t, opt for Naked Porridge. They are both magical in their own rights. Ultimately, the Porridge Ritual is about creating a space in which you can wrap yourself in a therapeutic cocoon of warmth, of time standing still, of eating slowly and in silence, and the healing and nourishment that comes from this activity.
RECIPE NOTES
ON THE COOKING METHOD:
Soaking the oats overnight, and then oven baking them in the same water that they soaked in (instructions below) is the secret weapon when it comes to making perfectly cooked steel cut oats, so it is important not to skip this step. It draws a nuttier flavor out of the oats and leaves them with a better texture, plus it’s a lot easier than cooking them on the stovetop. You can just plop the saucepan in the oven and forget about it for a nice long chunk of time.
ON THE INGREDIENTS
Be sure to use certified GF steel cut oats if avoiding gluten. For an optional boost of protein, I like Collagen Peptides by Vital Proteins.
ON THE TOPPINGS
My favorite way to enjoy naked porridge is to swirl in a glug of mild olive oil and then top with hearty chunks of Shinko Asian pear and flakey sea salt. Shinko Asian pears have a buttery nuttiness, a subtle spiciness, and a sturdy texture that is absolutely exquisite when paired with the nutty and rugged bite of the oats. The salt and olive oil bring everything together and make it feel like you’re eating some sort of hearty, healthy, magically nourishing form of caramel. Sometimes I throw blackberries into the mix, as I did for this photoshoot, because I enjoy the squishy gooeyness they impart in contrast to the firmness of the pear. If you can’t get a hold of a Shinko Asian pear, really any crispy fruit, such as a tart apple, will do. Firmness and texture is what you’re after. And no need to add flowers since this is the efficient version of the Porridge Ritual – I just did so for the sake of pretty pictures.
EXTRA CREDIT
I love to add a bit of freshly grated ginger and orange zest if I’m in the mood and have these things lying around.
I’m nut intolerant, but if you’re not, a small handful of walnuts would probably be a deeply pleasurable addition.
If you’re the kind of person that has lavender salt lying around, it tastes pretty awesome with this.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 1 (cost per serving approximately $3.50)
1/3 cup (79 mL) steel cut oats, soaked overnight
1 cup (237 mL) filtered water
1 serving collagen protein
1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tbsp mild olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 Shinko Asian pear
Small handful blackberries
A few flecks of chunky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
The night before, place 1/3 cup (79 mL) steel cut oats, 1 cup (237 mL) water, 1 serving collagen protein, and 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt into a small saucepan. Go to sleep, and let your oats soak for you all night long.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350F (175C).
Put the lid on the saucepan and place it on the middle rack of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until liquid has reduced and oats are tender to the bite.
Pour the porridge into your favorite bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp mild olive oil.
Top with chopped Shinko Asian pear, small handful of blackberries, and a few sexy flecks of chunky sea salt. Now go peace out and get your Porridge Ritual on.