On the Subject of Oatmeal

It's amazing. Oatmeal is one of those foods that people either love or hate.

It's such a versatile thing, that I attribute the lack of interest in it to the cooks who don't know how to make it properly. A shame, really.

So, last night, when I was soaking my oatmeal in prep for breakfast, I was reminded of my father's use of rice in his dessert porridges. He adds a bit of white rice to break the one-toned starchy texture with a chewy contrast that also aids in adding volume and viscosity to the overall end product. That was a moment of inspiration for me. Most people see rice as a main ingredient, usually served on its own or with other supporting ingredients. One wouldn't normally use rice for a supporting role, but that's exactly what I did...

And the results are amazing. I added about a teaspoon of short-grain brown rice to the 1/4cup of oats, soaked it all in hot water, lid-on, overnight, and cooked it by adding milk and a bit of agave nectar, slowly simmering it all down to a viscous consistency. It's got so much more character than your average bowl of oatmeal, reminded me a lot of rice pudding. EXCELLENT MOUTH FEEL. I think I'm going to begin experimenting with different ratios and ingredients from now on. YEAH!