Creamy Oats with Honeyed Apricots
Let it be known that I love to travel. Travelling is good for the soul and it keeps you humble. How, you ask, does travelling keep one humble? You see, when it’s YOU that’s the odd one out; YOU driving on the wrong side of the road, YOU asking for a translation of a menu item, YOU wondering what that sign said, then finding out that it meant to Keep Out, it helps you realize what those “furriners” experience when they visit our fair country and commit those unpardonable cultural gaffes. It also creates a sense of empathy for them within me. If you’re thinking that this all sounds like an excuse to keep travelling, you might also be right.
I also love breakfasts. But you know how when you’re travelling, you fluctuate between all those gourmet breakfasts and mediocre hotel breakfasts and eventually just long for a simple homey cereal or muffin breakfast? Yeah, well, for me that often means longing for a steaming bowl of oatmeal. I LOVE oatmeal, so when I spied Porridge Oats with Honey Blueberry Compote on the menu close to the end of our trip to Ireland, I ordered it posthaste. It was everything I wanted it to be; both homey and delightful. Steel cut creamy oats topped with a lightly sweetened blueberry compote and drizzled with honey. For years I’ve been cooking my oats in a half milk/ half water solution, then adding apples and raisins, so this seemed like a great dish to recreate at home. I did it, and it was great, but this time of year when fresh Ontario fruits abound it seems a shame to cook the fruit. Apricots are in season now, and due to the dry heat we have experienced this year, they are extra sweet. I love anything with apricots, so I thought why not try apricots with honey? I cooked my favourite steel cut oats in our own local milk, sprinkled a wee bit of cinnamon on the oats, topped them with chopped apricots, and drizzled it all with honey. I sure did enjoy it, and as I was eating it, I thought, “This sure would be good with peaches too. Or peaches and blueberries.” Next time…
This post is sponsored by Martin’s Family Fruit Farm, where most of this stuff is available. As always, the views and stories are my own.
Apricots are said to be one of the healthiest fruits in the world, with tons of Vitamins A and C, and potassium packed into its little furry body. We saw acres and acres of apricot orchards as we were climbing the mountainsides in Spain and Portugal a few years ago. It was a beautiful sight; those orange ovals hanging in the trees.
Creamy Oats with Honeyed Apricots
Ingredients
Directions
Pour the milk and the water into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat, stirring now and then until it begins to steam and smell “milky”. Stir in salt and oats. Reduce heat and slowly boil for 10 to 20 minutes, until it is just a little thinner than you like to eat it it. Cover and remove from heat. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes to let it thicken. Scoop into your prettiest bowl, top with chopped apricots or desired fruit and drizzle with honey.
Orchard News and Chews 
August 17, 2018 at 8:51 am
Apricots are one of my top 50 favorite fruits!! Seriously though, I do love them but I have just never thought to try them in oatmeal. For the first 55 years of my life I did not even like oatmeal. The texture was not agreeable to me and so I shunned cooked oatmeal but would eat it baked. Then I met steel cut oats and the love affair with oatmeal took me to new breakfast delights. Our methods of prep are similar but here is a variation that I have come to enjoy:
While the milk (or cream) and water are steaming, lightly toast the steel cut oats in a Tablespoon of butter in a small skillet. Toasting gives them a nutty flavor. Stir the toasted oats into the steaming milk and simmer 10-20 minutes till softened. Sometimes I add 1-2 Tablespoons of chia seeds to the mixture as well for even more texture. This morning I am having mine with a sprinkling of chopped pecans, a small handful of mini chocolate chips, red raspberries and milk!! Yum!! The fruits I enjoy with it vary with the availability but among my favorites are apples, pineapples, blueberries and peaches. I will try the apricots next!
LikeLike
August 17, 2018 at 9:07 am
Oh, boy! Browning the oats would elevate porridge to heavenly heights! Your morning variation sounds inspiring too. Thanks for the ideas!
LikeLike