Recipe for Irish Porridge

Creamy Irish Oatmeal

Our mornings in Ireland started with unbelievably delicious oatmeal. It was like a dessert! The cook told me they use steel cut oats: whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut. They are nuttier and chewier than regular oatmeal, and as a result, they take a long time to cook. He starts making it the night before, pouring all the ingredients into a saucepan, which he covers and puts in the refrigerator so the milk can soften the shell of the oats.

Here's the secret recipe:

4 cups milk (not water)
1 cup steel cut oats
Dash of salt

In the morning, pull out saucepan, and heat up on the stove. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking on the bottom. Remove from heat, and let sit for a couple of minutes. Stir in another 1- 1/2 cups milk, and serve with toppings. (Another cook said he dumps everything in a crock-pot and slow-cooks it all night.)

There were a few versions on the menu: Sweetie (topped with bananas, honey and cream) Nutty (topped with walnuts, brown sugar and butter) Hawaiian (topped with pineapple, brown sugar and coconut) and the Warmer (topped with Bushmills Irish Whiskey.)

The Irish may have their Troubles, but breakfast isn't one of them!