Toasted Oatmeal (or The Best Oatmeal You’ll Ever Eat)
It’s Sunday night, and I’m writing about – of all things – oatmeal. Yes, oatmeal. But hey – I warned you last week that this was coming.
Now, I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal, and I make it for myself for breakfast fairly often year round. But then, I tried Megan Gordon‘s toasted oatmeal method, from her new book Whole-Grain Mornings, and it blew everything I thought I knew about oatmeal out. of. the. water. Like, I probably will never make oatmeal any other way from now on. Ever.
Gone is the oatmeal your grandmother used to make, thick and sticky and gluey. And don’t even think about the little packets of instant oatmeal you keep in your desk drawer at work for mornings when you run too late to get breakfast before 8 a.m. These oats, which cook on their own, unattended, without any stirring, hold onto their texture and shape unlike any other oatmeal. Rather than being mushy, they are chewy and dense, the perfect embodiment of a cooked whole grain. L is not an oatmeal girl per se, but she will share a bowl of these with me, matching me bite for bite.
I’m not going to editorialize any more here, because Megan does an excellent job of explaining the why behind the method, and if you’re interested in knowing more, you should pick up a copy of Whole-Grain Mornings. You should pick up a copy anyway, in fact, even if you’re not interested in a deeper understanding of oats and oatmeal. I can’t wait to cook my way through the whole book – every single recipe looks absolutely amazing, and there are many dishes I’d serve for lunch or dinner as well as breakfast. But let’s get back to toasted oatmeal.
I made this a few times over the past week, actually, and I’ve got my oats right where I want them. I found I like them best cooked in milk, rather than a mixture of milk and water, and I think the flavor is completely worth it. I use a touch of vanilla bean paste as well, but you could also use vanilla extract – about 1/2 teaspoon.
The main thing, though, is the toasting process. It only takes a few minutes to toast the oats in a hot cast iron skillet – less time than the book recommends on my stove, but yours may be different. I use coconut oil rather than butter, but either will work. When the oats begin to turn golden brown and emit a lovely, nutty aroma, they’re ready to be cooked in the hot milk.
I don’t bring the milk to a full boil – just a simmer, so that it’s beginning to foam around the edges of the pan. You turn off the heat, add the toasted oats, giving them a quick stir just to make sure they’re evenly distributed, put the lid on, and walk away. For 10 minutes. And then, you come back to find they’re ready and waiting. They will have absorbed most of the milk, and all they’ll need is a bit of brown sugar and a splash of cream. The lovely, nutty flavor resulting from the toasting process and the sweetness inherent in the milk means they don’t need much help at all.
One warning, though: once you’ve made these, you’ll never be able to bring yourself to go back to “regular” oatmeal. Be prepared.
Toasted Oatmeal
Adapted from Whole-Grain Mornings by Megan Gordon
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil or unsalted butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk (I use whole milk, because that’s what we buy for L, but any percentage will do, and you can also use a mixture of milk and water – as little as 1/4 cup milk to 3/4 cup water)
Pinch of kosher or fine grain sea salt
1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dark brown sugar or pure maple syrup, for serving
Heavy cream, half and half, or more whole milk, for serving
In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the oats and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together the milk, salt, and vanilla. Bring to a simmer over medium heat – do not allow to boil.
When the oats are toasted and the milk is simmering, add the oats to the milk. Stir once or twice just to incorporate.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Do not remove the lid!
When the 10 minutes is up, remove the lid and check the oats. They should have absorbed almost all of the milk, and should look tender and creamy but still be whole.
Serve immediately, with a sprinkling of brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup, and a splash of cream or half and half.
Serves 2. Can be doubled. Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat on subsequent mornings.
Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!
