What started out as oatmeal...

... ended up an creamy, herbed risotto-like dream of oats. This may sound exaggerated, but there is no other way to describe this recent culinary experience. My plan was to try and make some savory oatmeal for lunch. I've been wanting to make this for a long time, simply because I have a deep, undying love of oatmeal. One of my mottos in life is "Eat more oatmeal", and I strongly believe in that. Oatmeal is healthy, filling, easy to make and to vary, cheap and simply makes you feel good about life. But still, it can often be quite ordinary. I set off making my oatmeal, fried some onion, added some herbs, stirred a lot and then something magic happened. My oats turned in to a creamy dish that can only be likened to risotto. An oat-otto, if you wish, with herbs, mustard and roasted sunflower seeds. Yum

Closely following oats on the list of foods I love are fermented foods. I recently tried making fermented oats, and they’ve become a new staple in my fridge. The fermentation gives them a slightly sour flavor and makes all the nutrients more easily absorbable by the body. If you’re interested in making some yourself, here is how you do it. It is super simple, but I understand if you can’t be bothered. Therefore the recipe works just as well with soaked, steel-cut oats, or even just dry. Dry oats will take longer though, may also require more water

Since I realized we should be eating less rice because it’s not that great for the environment I’ve been in a kind of ethical dilemma because risotto is one of my all-time favorite dishes. Being able to make “risotto” from oats was a revelation for me. Oats are better both for you and the planet.  I do hope you try this recipe out, it’s a keeper.

Enough for 2 lucky souls

¼ onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

A chunk of fennel, thinly sliced

A splash of olive oil

1 dl cooked lentils

2 dl soaked or fermented steel-cut oats + 5 dl water (1 dl dry oats soaked in 6 dl water over night should do it)

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

To serve: A good, grainy mustard and roasted sunflower seeds

Gently fry the onion, garlic and fennel in the oil in a saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until creamy and as thick as you like it. Make sure to stir it often to make it nice and smooth. If it gets too dry before the oats are done, simply add more water and continue simmering

Serve with a nice dollop of good mustard and roasted sunflower seeds. A dream come true.