Savory Oatmeal with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Red Onions

Savory oatmeal... At first blush this sounds odd, right?  Since it's now fall, perhaps the idea might be a bit more appealing, if only slightly.  But trust me on this one, savory oatmeal is delicious.  And I'm not the only one who's jumped on this bandwagon... There are lots of recipes out there for savory oatmeal (for example), including some touted by the wonderful Mark Bittman (see also this entry from Serious Eats).

To plunge into this world of savory oatmeal, one must see oatmeal for the grain that it is, and not be confined by thoughts of one's childhood days sitting over a steaming mound of sweet, buttery oatmeal looking out onto the snow.  Instead you should think of savory oatmeal the way you do risotto, because that's what this recipe is closest to... but in some ways this dish is even better, because what this savory oatmeal promises is a delicious quick bowl of creamy, cheesy, grainy, savory goodness.

This dish can be served for brunch, lunch, or as a side for dinner.  It's also a great recipe for when you're looking to just throw something together quickly, but still want something rich and flavorful. 

 
Servings: 2 (sides) or 1 (very filling meal)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk (1%)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1/4 small red onion, diced
• a pat of butter, for browning
• ~1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons blue cheese (preferably Stilton), to your taste
• ~1 tablespoon of grated cheese (1/2 Pecorino Romano, 1/2 Grana Padano)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a sauté pan, heat onions in butter until nicely browned.
2. While the onions are cooking, add oats, water, and milk to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add thyme leaves. Stir. Continue cooking at a slow boil for about 3 minutes.
3. Add cheeses to the oats; mix. Keep the heat low to allow the cheese to melt.
4. Add onions to the oats; mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

With the addition of the three cheeses, this dish can be on the salty side, so be careful not to over-season it.  But the saltiness is balanced nicely by the sweetness of the onions and the earthiness of the thyme.

Clearly this oatmeal recipe is not one your cardiologist might approve of, but I will suggest that you try it nonetheless.  And if not, perhaps one of the other savory oatmeal dishes will pique your interest... Perhaps Mark Bittman's simpler oatmeal with scallions and soy sauce recipe is an easier jaunt into the world of savory oatmeal.  I suggest adding a little ginger powder to Bittman's recipe to round out the flavors.  He's also modified this recipe by adding some sesame oil, or swapping out the scallions for celery.  But whatever your taste preferences, oatmeal is a wonderful pallet to build upon. Seriously, there are so many options.  The sky's the limit.  So, cook, eat, and enjoy!

Cacio e Pepe Oatmeal with steel-cut oats, toasted ground peppercorns,
and peppercorn cheddar cheese from the farmers market.

Recipe Extra: Cacio e Pepe Oatmeal is made with 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup steel-cut oats, ~1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper toasted in ~1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons of cheese (I used a blend of peppercorn cheddar cheese, Grana Padano, and Pecorino Romano cut in chunks), and salt to taste. Cook oats in boiling water for about 20 mins. Toast peppercorns in oil. When oats are done, add oil, peppercorns, and cheese. Mix well and salt to taste. Serves 2.