I’m a big fan of steel cut oats in the morning. Not the instant rolled oats parked in my pantry for cookies and bread but the chunky, chewy sort of which the local Scottish settlers would be proud.* Yes you have to tend a pot for fifteen minutes instead of pushing a few buttons on the microwave but the texture is well worth the effort. The only question is what flavours to add to make the oat experience complete.
* Yes, I know the ‘famous’ brand of oats are from Ireland but the late 1700s saw more Scots than Irish here in my particular county. I’m sure they all ate their groats.
Having started with stock standard sugar and progressed through dark Muscovado, palm sugar, and even agave – the latter being one step too weird it seemed – maple seems the best choice considering the country in which I’m standing. Still, some variety keeps things interesting and in the middle of a recent pantry miscalculation I discovered another curious way to sweeten my morning bowl when I’m on maple cooldown. Dates.
Dried dates aren’t usually my first fruit choice save for perhaps parked on a blue cheese plate with toasted walnuts. They’re a bit too cloying and seem like little more than chewy sugar bombs. Maybe I just don’t like the taste in their pure state. Mince them finely to add to the simmering oat pot however and the cooking thins their goodness throughout changing the finish significantly. Plenty of sweetening in the bargain too. Judicious additions of a scant few bits of candied citrus get rounded out after the fact with everything from toasted pumpkin seeds to a splash of cream around here on bleary-eyed mornings. Become a creature of habit or make it different with every bowl.
Morning Oats With Dates
Measure by volume here for ease, 1/3 cup uncooked oats is roughly one portion
1 part steel-cut oats
5 parts cold water
1/2 part dried, pitted dates, very finely minced
sea salt to taste
1/8 part (or less) dried candied citrus peel (optional)
cinnamon to taste (optional)
For serving (optional):
milk or cream
toasted nuts or seeds
fresh berries
yogurt (any flavour)
Measure all the ingredients into a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. This can be done up to eight hours in advance to soak the oats with differing results in the final texture.
Bring the pan to a boil then immediately reduce to a low simmer, stirring often, anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. Cook to the desired consistency, tasting as you progress to check the ‘chew’ of the oats. Be careful to stir more frequently as the liquid is absorbed – almost constantly in the last minutes – to avoid scorching.
Serve with any extras as desired. Make great tea. Listen to classical music while you stir. Ten minutes of oat Zen to start your day is never a bad thing.
