Weather: 52 degrees, cloudy with some wind
What I’m listening to: One, Ed Sheeran
This particular summer morning was a leisurely, overcast one. It was clear by the saturated ground and the rich, verdant smell outside that light ran had fallen overnight and perhaps more would be coming later in the day. I didn’t have anything on the agenda until later in the afternoon, when I would be meeting some girlfriends for a birthday dinner at a local restaurant. And although just yesterday the house was bursting with out of town guests, they had gone hiking in the wilderness and wouldn’t be returning until tomorrow. The kids were downstairs playing happily in their pajamas, leaving me to linger long over my first cup of coffee, then a second, and to ponder what ambling breakfast might suit the day.
The day prior, when my 6 year old daughter and I made a quick trip into the grocery store, she requested a bag of roasted pistachios with sea salt and some fuzzy ripe apricots as we strolled through the store. I acquiesced to both requests, and when the time came to make breakfast the following morning, both items were sitting on the kitchen counter practically begging me to make something with them. I also pulled out the marvelous Bee Local honey I had been treasuring since my trip to Portland.
Steel cut oats are perfect for this sort of leisurely breakfast; they do take a while to cook on the stovetop, but they’re pleasantly low-maintenance. Put them on a low simmer for 25 minutes and walk away. Stir in some milk and simmer another 10 minutes while you fix up the toppings. Soon, a beautiful and nutritious breakfast awaits.
Steel Cut Oats with Honeyed Apricots & Pistachios
Stovetop steel cut oats served with honeyed apricots and salted pistachios, finished with a drizzle of milk.
Yields: 1-2 servings
- For the oats:
- 2 teaspoons butter
- ½ cup steel cut oats
- 1 ½ cup boiling water
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup milk, divided
- For the toppings:
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- pinch of salt
- 1 ripe apricot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
- brown sugar
Put water in a kettle and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the steel cut oats and salt. Toast the oats in the butter, stirring 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour 1 ½ cups boiling water in with the oats. Turn the heat down to a low simmer, cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Remove the lid, stir in ¾ cup milk, return the lid and simmer another 10 minutes.
While the oats are in their final 10 minutes of cooking, melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Stir in the honey and salt. Add the chopped apricot and toss in the hot butter and honey mixture to coat, cooking about 1 minute. Remove from heat and sprinkle in the pistachios, coating them also with the honey.
Spoon the oats into a bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with milk.Top with honeyed apricots and pistachios. Serve.
