Turmeric Steel Cut Oats with Kimchi and Fried Egg

Oatmeal is a healthy way to start off your day, high in nutrients and fiber, hearty enough to fill you up until lunchtime. But it doesn't have to be eaten only for breakfast.  My morning routine of oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins was starting to bore me so I began experimenting with savory oatmeal recipes.  This one can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  It uses steel cut oats and includes turmeric (known for its disease-fighting benefits), ginger (used for its medicinal properties for centuries ) and kimchi (lauded as a probiotic 'superfood'!).  I like to omit the egg when serving it as a side dish for dinner.  Oats come in other forms besides steel cut, like rolled or instant which cook quickly but have a softer, mushier consistency.  I prefer the chewier, nut-like texture of the steel cut.

Turmeric Steel Cut Oats with Kimchi and Fried Egg

adapted from a recipe provided by Flahavan's Irish Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 in. piece of fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tsp. black sesame seeds

• 1 tsp. white sesame seeds

• 2 tsp. vegetable or canola oil

• 1 tsp. dried turmeric

• ½ cup Flahavan’s Irish Steel Cut Oats

• 3 ¾ cups vegetable (or chicken) stock

• Salt and pepper

• 2 free range eggs

• ½ cup kimchi

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh cilantro for garnish

1)  Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes until fragrant and put to one side for later.

2)  Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.  Sauté the shallot and ginger until soft.

3)  Add the turmeric and sauté for another minute, before adding in the Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, and hot stock.

4)  Continue cooking the oats for 30-35 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent them from sticking.  Season with salt and plenty of freshly-milled black pepper.

In the meantime, add the remaining teaspoon of oil to a small frying pan over a medium heat and fry the eggs to your liking.

Spoon the oatmeal into two shallow bowls. Top each bowl with some of the kimchi and a fried egg.  Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro leaves and serve.

Wine Pairing Suggestion:

Yes!  You can pair this oatmeal with wine.  Don't forget that red wine, with its antioxidants and resveratrol has been long thought of as a heart-healthy beverage.  I suggest a medium-bodied fruit-forward red wine like this Punta Crena Cruvin Colline Savonesi from Liguria, Italy.  It has an rustic earthiness to it that will go well with the savory flavors of the dish.  And I love the fox on the label, waiting for the grapes to ripen!  Find this wine in Manhattan at Grape Collective, Broadway and 101st Street or at Millesima, Second Avenue and 72nd Street.  Outside of NYC, check Wine-Searcher.com.