Porridge

[Lotobear]

I'm partial to porridge in the morning and at this time of year I tend to make it a bit more luxurious.

My go to oats are Kavanagh's from Aldi - nice and nutty, with a pleasant al dente finish.

I always use semi skimmed, a generous pinch of salt and a slug of maple syrup in the pan. 5 minutes and they're done. A splash of double cream mixed in and a drizzle more of maple and it's good to go. If I have some left over berries, raspberries or blue berries they go on top.

I've experimented before with adding cinnamon and mixing with pin head oats but always go back to the plain method.

......probably sacrilege to Scotsmen but it works for me.

Any hints and tips - what do you do?

[Mogul]

Peanut. Butter. (Crunchy).

[essayer]

Soaking the oats overnight in water works well

[Silvanus]

Every year I try porridge, I'm desperate to like it but I struggle to eat it, makes me gip. I make porridge for other people and they think its great as I cook it properly on the stove, wife daughter and friends all like it. Where am I going wrong? I'm thinking its the texture, I can't do rice pudding either. Oats in a smoothly make me feel less of a man

[Ronstein]

We're having porridge every morning at the moment, perfect for cold days! Scotts porridge oats with 50/50 semi-skimmed milk and water. I get it ready the night before and then microwave it to perfection in the morning before serving in pre-heated bowls. I have it with golden syrup and a little skimmed milk. Mrs R has hers with just honey. Sets you up for the day
!

[LeadFarmer]

I make it in my Instant Pot using pressure cooker mode, cook for 8 mins and wait for pressure to release. Normally prepped the night before and set to 'Delay Start' mode so it's ready for when I get up.

I use Quaker rolled oats but only because I once read that rolled oats were better for you?

Normally cook it with a handful of raisins, then when done squirt some Golden Syrup or honey on, handful of frozen raspberries and stir it all in. This week I've made stewed apple from my mothers Bramley apple tree, so that's getting stirred in too.

Edited by LeadFarmer on Tuesday 13th December 11:07

[craig1912]

Microwaved in a bowl for 2.5 minutes, chopped up banana, maple syrup, dollop of Greek yogurt and handful of blueberries. Works for me around 300 times a year.

[Harpoon]

Currently using a big bag of Pimhill Jumbo Oats which, as expected, do take longer to microwave than their porridge oats.

https://www.pimhill.com/shop/

Previous sack was from Heatherslaw Mill which we came across whilst on holiday earlier this year.

https://www.ford-and-etal.co.uk/shops/heatherslaw-...

Interesting how different oats will vary the taste of the porridge.

Anyway, always made entirely with semi-skimmed milk and topped with a chopped banana. Friday treat is a small block of Aldi 80% dark chocolate (Moser Roth or something - you get 5 blocks individually wrapped in a single packet) which I add once the porridge is cooked. Lovely with the banana on the top.

[gulls]

I'm addicted, nothing nicer on a cold morning. To keep calories down I use water (I really don't miss the milk) and mornflake jumbo oats, with sweet cinnamon (much better than standard cinnamon), over chopped up banana. Works for me!

[Riley Blue]

I add 25gms of raisins or sultanas to a sachet of golden syrup porridge then semi-skimmed milk up to a total of 200gms and microwave it for two minutes 10 seconds. Not very exciting or adventurous but I can manage it half asleep without cocking it up.

[Mr Pointy]

Flahavan's Multi Seed are my absolute favourite - much more interesting than just oats:

https://www.flahavans.co.uk/product/irish-porridge...

I've only found them in Waitrose though.

[trumptriple]

3 tbsp oats, half water half full-fat milk, microwave. Then add tbsp peanut butter, tbsp greek yogurt, flaxseed, and whatever nuts and seeds I have laying around, then a drizzle of maple syrup. Love it!

edited to add: cinammon

[dontlookdown]

Everyone has their own way of making porridge! The Scots porridge championships (yes really) always used to insist on using oatmeal rather than rolled oats for example.

Have tried oatmeal but as a heathen Sassenach I prefer oats;) The regular small variety which are both cheaper and give a smoother porridge which I also prefer. I do add a tablespoon of oatbran to the mix and cook gently for 20mins at least, stirring regularly and well. Tiniest pinch of salt only, not a chef's pinch which usually means anywhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon;)

Porridge is basically an oat risotto and responds to the same cooking technique, IME. But no stock or garlic, obvs!

[hairy v]

Any dried fruit or the little kids fruit snack bags.

[Lotobear]

hairy v said:

Any dried fruit or the little kids fruit snack bags.

...chopped dates work well!

[sociopath]

Microwaved then with some added summer fruits defrosted from the freezer.

Can't be arsed with pissing about with pans and then trying to get them clean, it doesn't taste any better and it's a whole lot more faff.

[Mobile Chicane]

I soak them overnight in cold water with some dried dates or apricots, then eat as is.

I don't drink dairy milk as I can't bear the smell / taste.

[Tickle]

Flahavan's Organic Porridge, scoop of protein (vanilla) and cold skimmed milk. That's my standard breakfast porridge.

I am partial to banana and peanut butter in porridge as a weekend treat (if we've got no Blackpudding in!)

Flahavan's is very good though.

[LeadFarmer]

Quaker have introduced their Ultimate oats, but I have no idea how they differ from their normal oats? Maybe it's just a sales trick?

[Bannock]

Cheapest oats in Tesco, Grower's Harvest I think they're called. They're just oats. Pour in 50/50 soya milk and water, cook. Chopped up apple, pear or banana (again, Tesco cheapest, they're just apples, pears and bananas) on top, teaspoon of honey.

I expect that will fail to pass the PH glamorous and expensive and premium branded test. At least I can't be accused of veganism as I'm using honey.

Pretty much my breakfast every morning outside of summer time.