the best bowl of oatmeal. ever.

the best bowl of oatmeal. ever.
Originally uploaded by sawyer.george

Fall weather's finally arrived. I'm celebrating with an incredible bowl of steel cut oats. Here's the recipe from Cook's Illustrated:

3 cups water
1 cup whole milk (or water)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or oil)
1 cup steel cut oats
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Simmer water and milk over medium heat. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat until just beginning to foam; add oats and toast, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until golden and fragrant with butterscotch-like aroma, 1.5 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir oats into the simmering liquid, reduce heat to medium-low; simmer gently, until mixture thickens and resembles gravy, about 20 minutes. Add salt and stir lightly with spoon handle. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon handle, until oats absorb almost all liquid and oatmeal is thick and creamy, with a pudding-like consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes. Off heat, let oatmeal stand uncovered 5 minutes.

I realize it's a bit involved for a bowl of oatmeal, but it's worth every minute. You'll never think of oatmeal the same way again. Don't forget to stir with the spoon handle, it makes the consistency just right. Apparently the Scottish have a tool dedicated to this task, it's called a spurtle.