Archive for August, 2008
Oatmeal
by Jeffery Clark on Aug.17, 2008, under Breakfast
I know oatmeal sounds like a simple boring recipe. Many people just open a packet, add hot water and eat a warm breakfast. But when I challenged myself to have a different breakfast each day, a search for a great easy bowl of oatmeal was my quest for my Saturday morning breakfast. First was figuring out which type of oatmeal to use. Steel cut oats beat out the rolled oats for both flavor and texture. But steel cut oats take a long time to cook until I found Quick and Easy steel cut oats, which cooks in five minutes, instead of 30 minutes. Next I experimented with the liquids. Water was too boring, milk was to creamy. I settled on a mixture of 1/3 whole milk and 2/3 water. The whole milk adding enough fat to enrich the oatmeal. The last challenge was how to extract the full flavor of the oats. For a while I toasted the oats in the pot with some melted butter, but I tried toasted the oats in the oven and voila, I had the perfect oatmeal for breakfast. I challenge you to make a cup of two next Saturday and I guarantee you will have a great day.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup McCann’s Quick and Easy Steel Cut Oats
- 1/3 cup whole milk (See Note)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
- Place oats on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker
- Place a small sauce pan over medium heat and combine oats, milk and water. Stir, then cover the pan and bring to a boil, but watch carefully as it will boil over easily. Once boiling, remove the cover and stir occasionally and thicken the oatmeal. You know you are done when the bubbles coming from the oatmeal look like gas escaping from a mud pit. Add the salt, mix and turn off the stove and cover and let the oatmeal sit while you prepare your flavorings.
- Mix your flavorings with the oatmeal and enjoy
Flavorings
This part of the recipe is really up to you. You need three things to flavor the oatmeal, a sweetener, a fruit and a spice. Raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar is a classic. I like blueberries, cinnamon and maple syrup. Try peaches, nutmeg and honey, or raspberries, cream and honey, or another classic apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. The combinations are endless.
Note
If you do not have whole milk, you can substitute non fat milk by using all non fat milk and no water. When you add the salt add 2 teaspoons of butter to add some creaminess.
Mango Habanero Hot Sauce
by Jeffery Clark on Aug.02, 2008, under Sauce
I found this recipe in Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cook book. After I made it, I realized I had nothing to use it with. Later in the week, we made a pork tenderloin with a Jamaica Jerk rub (see note) and the sauce matched perfectly with the pork. We added a simple papaya salsa, and wow, this was on great meal.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbl canola oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 3 ripe mangoes, peeled pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 habanero chile, chopped
- 2 to 4 Tbl of honey
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- water
Procedure
Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the mangoes, habanero, and enough water to cover, but no more than one cup. Cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated. This should take 8 to 12 minutes, depending on your stove. Add the honey and vinegar and cook on low until the mixture thickens slightly.
Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain into a bowl and season with salt.
Note
Use the following jerk rub on chicken or pork. When I first made it, I didn’t have any any onion powder, so I added some extra garlic and ginger. It still worked. Mix all ingredients, rub on your chicken or pork and grill to your liking.
- 2 Tbl ground corriander
- 2 Tbl ground ginger
- 2 Tbl brown sugar
- 1 Tbl onion powder
- 1 Tbl garlic powder
- 1 Tbl kosher salt
- 1 Tbl chile powder (ancho, chipotle or regular)
- 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
