Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Maple Sautéed Apples

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 8 comments » / breakfast

I’ve always been a breakfast person.  I love almost any variety of breakfast food both savory & sweet.  I am just not one of those people that can eat the same thing day in and day out, so I always keep my radar up for new things to try.  I saw this recipe for a seasonal take on steel cut oats, and realized it’s been a while since I had steel cut oats.  A warm bowl of this seemed like the perfect breakfast as the mornings turn colder.  As my pumpkin obsession fades, it seems like I am more & more drawn to maple.  And, we almost always have apples in the house, so this recipe was perfect.

I made a half batch of this, and REALLY wished I had made the whole batch.  If so, I would’ve had a warm breakfast to grab & go the rest of the week.  This wasn’t just delicious the day I made it, but the leftovers were amazing heated up.  I cooked mine down a bit longer than the recipe called for, and also threw in an incredibly ripe pear I had on hand.  The maple sautéed apples add the perfect amount of sweetness to the hearty oats.  This is a great addition to my breakfast reportoire!

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Steel Cut Oatmeal with Maple Sautéed Apples

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 40 min

Total Time: approximately 45 minutes

As I mentioned, I added in a really ripe pear which was so soft it cooked down and thickened the syrup. I also cooked the apples a little bit longer than the original recipe called for. I have adapted the cooking time in the recipe below, but didn't include the pear in the ingredients. It's was just one of those "if I don't use this thing this instant I have to throw it away" kinda things.

Ingredients:

OATS:
3 cups water
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 cup steel-cut oats
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt

MAPLE SAUTÉED APPLES:
2 tablespoons (1⁄4 stick) unsalted butter
3 large firm apples (about 11⁄2 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices 1 tablespoon plus 1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

OATS:
Bring the water and milk to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until just beginning to foam; add the oats and toast, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until golden and fragrant with a butterscotch-like aroma, 1 1⁄2 to 2 minutes.

Stir the toasted oats into the simmering liquid, reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer gently, until the mixture thickens and resembles gravy, about 20 minutes. Add the salt and stir lightly with the spoon handle. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon handle, until the oats absorb almost all of the liquid and the oatmeal is thick and creamy, with a pudding-like consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes. Off the heat, let the oatmeal stand uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with maple sautéed apples.

MAPLE SAUTÉED APPLES:
(Begin cooking apples when the oats have about 5 minutes cooking time remaining.)
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup; sauté until the apples are tender, about 6 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1⁄2 cup maple syrup and cinnamon; simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minute.

from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, who adapted from Cooks Illustrated & Bon Appetit