Toasted steel-cut oatmeal with brûléed bananas

So we go now from cake to oatmeal.  I am a huge oatmeal eater (I eat more oatmeal than cake).  I know I've mentioned my affinity for it before.  It started as more of a subtle liking, occasional bowls of old-fashioned oatmeal growing up. The smell of plain oatmeal has always been something familiar that I love.  

Toasted steel-cut oatmeal, slightly sweetened with honey and topped with brûléed bananas

In the last few years, oatmeal has become such a regular part of my diet and I honestly love it.  It started about five years ago when I wanted to shed a few pounds. If you can believe it, I started eating oatmeal as an after dinner dessert to fill me up! Eating it became a habit and I discovered steel-cut oatmeal and became hooked.  I now often have a big bowl of steel-cut oatmeal as the basis, or carb portion, of my dinner.  My son either assumes or will ask me if I need an "oatmeal spoon" when he sets the table for dinner. 

A warm bowl of steel-cut oatmeal is one of my favorite things

So I have been really intrigued by the idea of toasting the oats before cooking.  I think the idea's been around a while but I'd never thought about it.  With the growing interest in eating whole grains and books like Whole Grain Mornings and Good to the Grain (I love the titles of these book, by the way) bringing it to our general attention, I started seeing it touted everywhere in the last year or so (here and here, for instance).

Being a creature of habit, I didn't finally try toasting my oats until recently.  You take a little bit of butter (a tablespoon for 1 cup of oats; I use steel-cut), melt it in your pan, then add the oats and let it toast for about 4-5 minutes.  The oats will brown a bit and you'll smell a nutty aroma by the end of that time.  Then, you add your liquid and continue to cook your oatmeal as you normally would.

This toasted oatmeal makes for a firm and chewy texture 

Toasting the oatmeal should bring out the oats' nutty flavor.  I think when we eat anything, we want maximum bang (flavor) for our buck (calories).  So is toasting the oats worth the extra fat and calories from that pat of butter?  Here's what I came away with:

- The added flavor in the final oatmeal from toasting the oats was subtle.  I think I expected a big punch of extra flavor (like you get when you freshly toast nuts for baked goods) but it was more of an accentuation of the oats' nutty flavor.

- The big surprise for me was actually the impact on the texture of the oatmeal! Toasting the oats seems to keep them firmer, to keep the integrity of the oats more intact so they don't break down as much during cooking (I think the effect of toasting makes the oats cook more slowly, absorbing the water a bit less readily).  So if you're like me and love your steel-cut oatmeal firm and chewy - as opposed to more creamy - toasting them is a great way to ensure the texture. 

- While I don't have plans to toast the oats for my near-daily doses of oatmeal, I would when I want to make a truly "special" bowl of oatmeal.  Like many great recipes, it's often the culmination of small steps and ingredients that make for something special on the whole.  So for times when I want to "do up" my oatmeal and make a true meal out of it, I would toast the oats.  Maybe I'd cook the oatmeal with a bit of milk (instead of just water) for a little more sweetness and richness, and add a pinch of spice.  I would think about adding other special touches to it like, say, some brûléed bananas and nuts on top.  This was the first time I added caramelized banana slices to my oatmeal (I knew that kitchen torch would come in very handy!) and it was so delicious that it almost stole the show.

I generally have my oatmeal quite "plain".  That is, I cook it in water, and eat it with a little honey.  I love that simplicity but now, I'm more inclined to think about jazzing it up on occasion to keep things interesting!

Part II...
So maybe you figured I couldn't possibly talk any more about oatmeal but no...there's a little sequel to this story!  Bear with me, if you're willing...  

After making this and writing about it, I was watching a cooking show with Bobby Flay and he made toasted steel-cut oatmeal by dry-toasting (no butter) the oats first in the oven.  He asserted that the way to make the creamiest steel-cut oatmeal was to cook the toasted oats for just 1 minute before storing it in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 8 hours).  When the time comes to finish it, the cooking time should be cut by about half.  I may prefer a firmer, chewier bowl of oatmeal in general but I wanted to give his method a try...


And I did give Bobby Flay's method a try and it did what he promised.  If you're looking for a creamy bowl of steel-cut oatmeal, his overnight method of cooking the oats for just a minute, then chilling the mixture for a minimum of 8 hours (I cooked mine after about 10 hours), before finishing the cooking (it took me about another 18-20 minutes to finish cooking it) right before serving, does the trick.  

An overnight method makes for a creamy, restaurant-style, bowl of oatmeal

You know what this is? It's restaurant-style steel-cut oatmeal! The consistency/texture is very much like the bowls of steel-cut oatmeal that come my way when I order it at restaurants. The base is creamy and thick but happily, the oatmeal still offers that distinct pop of crunch, or snap, that you're after from a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal.  I actually quite enjoyed it!  Moreover, and very interestingly, I even found the taste of the toasted oats stronger (there was a distinct toasted, or nuttier, flavor) with this dry-toasted oven method than in the instance where I toasted the oats in the pan with some butter!

Well, I think all this just goes to show there are many ways to cook something. Sometimes, you just have to try different methods to see what combinations or technique works best for you.  I know that my husband would much prefer this creamier, "restaurant-style", oatmeal (if he had to pick because he's not into oatmeal the way I am) while I'm still a big fan of lots of chew and firmness.  But I have to say that I'll surely be using Bobby Flay's method again in the future.  Since I often have oatmeal at night, starting it in the morning and finishing it in the evening works quite well for me, and that creaminess with the bite to it is quite a comforting/satisfying combination.  

Do you have a favorite method of preparing steel-cut oatmeal?  Have you ever tried toasting your oats before cooking, and do you think it's worth the extra step?

Recipes:

Toasted Steel-cut Oatmeal with Brûléed Bananas
Toasted oatmeal method adapted from Whole Grain Mornings via Orangette

- Serves 1 to 2 - 
This method of cooking the oats produces a subtle toasted flavor and a firm, chewy texture in the finished oatmeal.

For oatmeal:
2 cups (or a bit more) water
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup steel-cut oats

For brûléed bananas:
Half large banana, sliced into roughly 1/4-inch thick rounds
1-2 teaspoons granulated sugar

To serve (optional): Honey, toasted pistachios

Bring water to a boil in a kettle and set nearby.  Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.  Add oats and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  

Step back and carefully add the boiling water into the pan (it will sizzle and bubble up so pour in the water slowly, use oven mitts, and stand back).  If you are doubling the recipe/making a bigger batch, toast the oats in a separate pan in one even layer and add the oats into the pot containing the boiling water.

Cook the oatmeal over a low simmer.  Stir mixture occasionally (especially during the second half of the cooking time) to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan.  Cook until oatmeal is thick and finished to your liking, about 25 to 30 minutes.  

To brûléed the bananas, lay rounds on a plate and lightly dab the surface with a paper towel.  Sprinkle on an even layer of sugar.  Carefully caramelize bananas using a kitchen torch.

Ladle oatmeal into a serving bowl, top with the brûléed bananas, along with honey and pistachios, if desired.


Creamy Toasted Overnight Oatmeal
Adapted from Bobby Flay

- Serves 2 to 3 - 
This method of cooking the steel-cut oats produces a creamy "restaurant-style" oatmeal.  The texture is thick and creamy but you still get the characteristic snap from the steel-cut oats.  Dry toasting the oats in the oven creates a deeper, nutty flavor.

1 cup steel-cut oats
4 cups water

To toast the oats, preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Lay oats in a single-layer on top of a baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.  Stir in the oats and cook for just 1 minute.  Cover the pot and let cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate the oats at least 8 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to finish the oatmeal, place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking until oatmeal is creamy, about 15-20 minutes.  Serve hot, with your preferred sweetener and/or topping.