Anne BralyRemember the first time you heard about shrimp and grits or garlic-cheese grits? It sounded so offbeat to me, I was hesitant to try either for a while. For starters, I hated grits. They were thin, watery and rather bland. But those, I found out, were those horrible instant grits – the kind served at diners in the 1960s and ’70s, maybe into the 1980s, too – with butter and a dash or two of salt. And if you were getting fancy, maybe some sausage gravy
Then came the real thing – grits from area mills that were thick and creamy and, I found, perfectly wonderful with garlic, cheese and shrimp, too. Now they are standard on many menus and served in very creative ways.
Now, it’s oatmeal’s turn. When I first saw an email for savory oatmeal from Zoup, a new vegetable broth now sold at Fresh Market, I turned up my nose. Oatmeal made with vegetable stock? Really? Then I remembered those delicious, savory grits and did some searching online.
Think about it. Oatmeal, like grits, has a rather bland flavor until you add something to it. They’re like sponges, absorbing whatever flavors are mixed in. In most cases, we choose additions such as sugar, honey, syrup or fruit. But consider oatmeal as a savory dish, just as we now do grits. Make oatmeal with stock rather than milk or water. Add cheese rather than fruit and top it with a fried or poached egg, seasoning with salt and pepper rather than sugar.
The original recipe called for using chicken broth or vegetable broth, so I tried both, finding the chicken broth a little too overwhelming, covering up the flavor of the parmesan cheese. I found vegetable broth to be perfect, adding a smack of savory without covering up the cheese and the egg. Also, be careful when adding salt to this dish. The cheese is salty enough, so wait and taste before adding any – we get enough sodium in our diets as is. This is a healthful dish perfect for breakfast or those simple Sunday night suppers.
Savory Oatmeal
1 cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
1/2 cup thick cut rolled oats
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (or more, to taste)
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro or other herbs, for garnish
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the oats and turn the heat down, stirring. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the liquid is fully absorbed and the oats are soft. Stir in the grated cheese. While the oats are cooking, poach or fry the egg.
To serve, top the oats with the egg, add salt and pepper, to taste, and shave some more parmesan on top. Garnish with herbs, if desired. Makes one serving. Recipe is easily doubled, tripled, etc.
NEW ON THE MARKET
» Remarkable changes were made to toasters in the first few decades since they were invented in 1893. But in the past 25 years or so, little has been done to make them better other than changes in color. Then, companies began making changes that made sense, such as offering lots of different toast settings and a high-lift design that makes grabbing your toast or waffle a lot safer. These toasters, though, range around $100. Now, Krups is selling a toaster with six toast settings, a special bagel setting that cooks the inside, not just the outside, and a high-life feature with a price point at Target (in-store and online) of $39 for a two-slice toaster and $49 for the four-slice model. Krups didn’t reinvent the wheel, just the toaster, making it beautiful and affordable.
» If you’re a coffee lover who keeps up with the latest technology, it’s time to rejoice and get connected – the new Behmoor Connected Brewer is on the market. Wake up to your favorite brew by simply saying, “Alexa, ask Behmoor to start brewing my coffee.” And don’t worry about running out of coffee, either. The machine can also be connected to Amazon’s Dash Replacement and will automatically replenish beans before you run out. All this for $167 at amazon.com.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.