Savory Oatmeal

This was a simple recipe designed to use up some of the leftover Burnpile Squash puree from yesterday's post:  http://sobremesastyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/burnpile-red-kuri-kanocha-and-poblano.html. 

I forgot to take pictures - sorry - so you will just have to imagine its beautiful, mac 'n' cheese texture.  I love savory breakfasts and the combination of cheese and chili peppers. This oatmeal has all those elements and is so delicious when you lift up your spoon and strings of cheese pull up from the bowl.   It's hearty and filling and makes a great camp breakfast.  I know I am usually harping about carbs but for some reason this oatmeal does not have a negative impact on my blood sugar, especially when combined with the cheesy protein. I could eat the whole pot myself, which would not be a good thing, so if you make this, be sure to have someone to share it with!

It's critical to use a nutty, crunchy oatmeal with as large of oat kernels as you can find. I prefer McCann's steel cut oats (not quick cooking) for this purpose.  The choice of cheese is up to you, but I had smoked Jarlsberg on hand so that's what I selected.  It went exceptionally well with the slightly smoky squash puree.

Savory Burnpile Squash and Poblano Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

1/2 McCann's Irish steel cut oats
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup leftover burnpile squash and poblano puree
1/2 cup grated smoked Jarlsberg cheese

Add the oatmeal, salt, and water to medium saucepan.  Bring the water to boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the oatmeal is tender but still retains some crunch, and most of the water is absorbed, leaving the oatmeal with the consistency of thick yogurt.  Stir in the cheese and squash puree and continue to simmer until the puree is warmed and the cheese is melted. 

If Things Don't Go as Planned, call it a Mousseline

I had a party in December featuring French food, and we made several recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, including Scallop Quenelles.  Quenelles are little football shaped dumplings, and one of the things I loved about Julia's recipe was her advice regarding Plan B if your recipe was a thin, runny failure:  Don't tell anyone you planned to make quenelles.  Instead, chill the batter and call it a mousseline.   That, my friends, is why today's featured vegetable dish is called Parsnip Mousseline.

You may recall a couple of days ago I wrote about a beet salad in which the beets were cooked in my pressure cooker.  I noted that I had cooked the beets for 10 minutes at 15 lbs of pressure - a perfect amount of time to cook a medium sized beet.  Not so perfect for a handful of small, thin parsnips.  They were very overcooked, and I could not use them as I had originally intended.  They sort of had spontaneously pureed themselves, so taking advice from the great Julia, I decided to puree them instead.  The result was unexpectedly tasty and made a nice accompaniment to some salmon we'd smoked for dinner that night. 

Parsnips have a slight horseradish-y flavor, and I must admit they are not one of my favorite vegetables for that reason.  I like horseradish on prime rib or as condiment but not so much as a main flavor component for my meal.  They are also a little starchy and therefore have a higher carb count. To offset these things, I added protein to this dish in the form of smoked gouda cheese which went very well with the salmon we had cooked in the smoker,  and non-fat cottage cheese which added creaminess without the fat of real cream. The end result was a balanced and flavorful side dish which I found surprisingly delicious.

Parsnip "Mousseline" for 2

 4 medium parsnips, washed and peeled

1/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1/4 cup grated smoked Gouda or smoked Jarlsberg cheese

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

up to 1/4 cup vegetable broth 

1 tbsp melted butter or margarine

Roast, steam or pressure cook the parsnips:  If roasting, coat with a little oil then roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until very tendery;  if steaming, cut into even sized chunks, place in a steamer and steam for 8 minutes or until fork tender;  if using a pressure cooker, bring cooker to pressure then cook at 15 lbs pressure for 5 minutes.  

Puree the parsnips and all other ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Add vegetable broth as needed to thin the mixture to your desired consistency.  Just before serving, stir in the melted butter.