Jan 09 2009
A bowl of porridge
Porridge or something similar can be found on all continents and in all cuisines. Basically a mixture of a pounded grain or starch cooked with water or other liquid, it is a staple for the poor of many lands. The solid ingredient varies according to what grows best in the locality and the end result can be sweet or savoury or an addition to bulk out some form of protein.
In the British Isles, it is most commonly associated with Scotland as a breakfast food, but the basic ingredient - oatmeal is available everywhere. The Scots like to eat it with salt, but that is a habit I have never understood. Even Scottish hotels will hand you butter, sugar and cream, albeit with a frown and a word of admonishment sometimes!
You can now get quick cook versions of it, or even single-serving bowls already cooked with milk and flavourings and ready to put in your microwave. I’m not a fan of ‘ping’ food at the best of time. I use the m/w to ‘nuke’ milk for coffee and hot chocolate, and uses such as melting butter or chocolate as part of any number of recipes.
I do admit to using it to make porridge, but not until the oats have soaked overnight in milk. Then you have to be VERY careful or you end up with concrete-solid lumps of exploded porridge all over the inside of your m/w oven - not really amusing if you’re the one doing the cleaning. I cover the bowl with cling film, and heat for no more than a minute. My oven light has broken so I can’t see the potentially volcanic mixture inside and have to keep turning off to check it. It would be just as quick to make it in a saucepan really!
I’m not giving a recipe here, plenty available including on the oatmeal packaging.
My favourite accompaniments are a knob of butter, and some crunchy demerara sugar, honey or golden syrup. This morning I had run out of sugar, and decided to try a little experiment. I had, in the fridge, half a tub of brandy butter left over from Christmas. This confection lasts a long time, so no problem there. I stirred in a generous dessertspoonful till it melted and blended - it was WONDERFUL!
Plenty more left for more cold winter mornings when I eat, standing by the window or back door, watching the acrobatic blue-tits and my resident robin argue whose turn it is to peck sunflower seed from the bird feeder on the patio.
Tell me what you eat with YOUR porridge.
