Back to Basics

January is a good time to get back to basics, especially in the kitchen after the holidays. Winter has settled in (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), and getting up when it's dark and cold outside can be a difficult task. Having a piping hot breakfast to look forward to makes winter mornings just a little bit easier.

This is the time of year when I inevitably turn to steel-cut oats as my breakfast of choice. I'm a savory breakfast eater, so my steel-cut oats usually involve salt, pepper, dinner leftovers, and a drizzle of olive oil. I love a dish that utilizes leftover vegetables, meat, or stock. An added bonus is that it makes my bowl of oats different every time, so I never get tired of it. And any dish that makes it easy to have some vegetables for breakfast is a win in my book.

I often make a week's worth of oatmeal ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for the rest of the week, helping myself to a serving every morning. It's easy to take to school and heat up in the microwave. It seems to get creamier the longer it sits. But there's something about the ritual of making it that is great for those mornings that are a little less rushed.

I usually start out by melting a pat of butter in a pot with plenty of room for bubbling oatmeal. I then add my oats and let them toast for a little bit, until they smell nutty. In the meantime, I boil water in the electric kettle for both the oatmeal and either tea or coffee. Then I add the boiling water and any other stock/wine/non-dairy liquid I want to use up. Next go in the chopped veggies and/or meats. I let the oatmeal simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches the consistency I want. I often add extra water if it starts getting dry. At the end, I'll add the final touches - salt, pepper, olive oil, maybe some salad greens. Some days I cook an over-medium egg and throw it on top for extra-heartiness.

This particular morning, I added a bit of leftover dashi I had from making a Korean soup/broth the night before. A little umami always makes everything better. I also threw in some butternut squash and a handful of beet greens, which added a nice orange-pink tint and made me happy. Add a bowl of extra-spicy chai tea (drinking out of a bowl always makes me feel French) and some wedges of Farmer's market oranges, and it doesn't get any better.

So here's to a brand new year. I hope you join me for posts about good food and good cooking, and the magic that can happen when you share those things with people you love. Cheers!

Steel Cut Oats

Serves 2

pat of butter

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2-3 cups of cooking liquid (any combination of stock or water)

1/4 - 1/2 cup of leftover vegetables or meat

olive oil

·         Melt pat of butter in a medium pot.

·         Add oats and stir, toasting until they smell nutty, 1-2 minutes.

·         Add 2 cups of liquid; bring to a boil.

·         Lower heat and add vegetables or meat, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until oats are desired consistency. Add more liquid if necessary.

·         Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil.

*This is an infinitely flexible dish, but I've included the recipe above in case you wanted some guidelines. Use it as a starting point, but make the dish your own!