Brown butter garlic porridge

+ shallot crunch & an array of truly delicious toppings.

December Greetings, dear readers! My husband and I have just returned from Somerset where for the first time in a very long time, we enjoyed a blissful three days of relaxation. We stayed at The Newt, and it was one of the most enjoyable hotel experiences I have ever had. So enjoyable that I’ll be reporting back in the near future. 

Today, however, I'm back with renewed energy and already in the kitchen hurriedly testing Christmas recipes - rest is definitely a luxury at this time of year. 

Even so, amidst the sense of urgency, something magical happened: snowflakes started falling from a brooding, stormy sky. England's wintry embrace has firmly taken hold, and contrary to the common gripes about icy roads, chilling winds and short dark days, I’m in heaven. With just a month left before our return trip to California—where perpetual summer reigns—I am savoring every nuance of the English seasons. 

With the change of weather in mind, naturally, my thoughts turn to food, so I've created the perfect warming meal to usher in the festive season: savory porridge adorned with an array of truly delicious toppings.

Now, before you contemplate clicking away at the mention of savory porridge—perhaps envisioning something less than appetizing—do stay a while longer. This, mark my words, is the ultimate winter repast; fit for lunch, breakfast, or even a midnight snack, this is a simple, versatile and yet delicious meal that you can prepare either for yourself, or a crowd, before the craziness of festive entertaining ensues.

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Note

As this recipe has several optional elements it might be a good idea to read to the end before commencing. Personally I find it really helpful to organize the mise en place before getting started, as this practice, especially if there are several stages, helps maintain a sense of order.

Brown buttery goodness

The porridge 

The porridge recipe is uncomplicated. The ingredients are stock or water, oats, Boursin, white wine vinegar,  salt and pepper. While the basic recipe appears straightforward, the key to this porridge, and a step you simply must not skip, is the shallot and garlic crunch.

Read on! 

She's a looker

The Toppings

Shallot and garlic crisp.

It's rather extraordinary how the simplest of ingredients can yield such delightful flavors.

For this wonderful addition, start by heating an inch of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. When the oil is ready, fry the shallots and garlic until they turn golden-brown. Once they've reached this point of caramelized perfection use a slated spoon to remove them from the oil and then set aside. Leave the residual garlicky oil in the pan because its moment of glory has yet to arrive.

Crispy Bacon

More culinary enchantment at play! Adding crispy bacon can so often elevate the simplest dish and the magic is amplified when the leftover bacon fat becomes the medium not only to char the leeks, but also as a base for the brown butter. 

Charred Leeks 

You can always sub the leeks for spring onions, but leeks are far more complex and a little sweeter.

For this dish I charred the leeks in a little leftover bacon fat then placed them on a paper towel, before adding a sprinkle of salt. Truly delicious. 

Bacon-y brown butter

It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? The idea here is to avoid waste. That burnt stuff (from the bacon and leeks) on the bottom of the pan is flavor gold! Simply add butter to the pan and cook until it turns light brown and smells nutty. This will take approximately 5 minutes. The butter will turn into frothy, bacon-y/leek-y goodness that you can drizzle onto your porridge.

Sort-of salsa verde - the lazy version.

This could not be simpler and is a welcome acidic addition. Simply take a handful of parsley, a few caper berries, caper berry brine, EVOO, a few leftover shallots (from the shallot and garlic crisp) and salt and pepper. Mix and heaven awaits. 

A minute before this was demolished

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The Recipe 

Porridge 

(Serves four)

180g porridge

1lt water, chicken, or vegetable stock (more if necessary)

75g Boursin (more if you wish) 

Salt and pepper 

Toppings 

4 eggs (I used Burford browns) 

1-2 large leeks

5-6 rashers of streaky bacon, roughly chopped

Shallot & Garlic Crisp 

5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 

2 large shallots, diced (reserve a ¼ of one for the salsa verde, if you're including)

Neutral oil (enough to fry the shallots and garlic) 

Brown butter 

50-60g butter, cubed

Salsa Verde

A bunch of parsley, finely chopped  

A handful of caperberries, roughly chopped 

The reserved ¼ shallot

Extra virgin olive oil

A little caper brine

Salt and pepper 

Method

First prepare the accompaniments 

Shallot and onion crisp

In a deep heavy-bottomed pan (you will also use this pan to make your porridge, so no washing up just yet) on medium heat, crisp the shallots in about 1 inch of neutral oil, enough to just about cover the shallots. Fry for 7-8 minutes until light brown and then add the garlic and fry for a further 2-4 minutes until both are golden brown. The whole process should take approx. 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside on a plate covered with a paper towel. Cover with a little flaky salt. 

(Note – to test the readiness of the oil add a strand of sliced shallot. If the oil sizzles, it is ready.)

Bacon

In a medium-large shallow pan, fry the streaky bacon until crispy, drain on a paper towel and roughly chop into small pieces and set aside. Don’t wash up just yet - keep reading!

Leeks

Place the shallow pan on medium heat and char the leeks in the leftover bacon fat. About 3-5 minutes should be sufficient. I char the leeks in 2-3 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan which creates steam. When ready, place the leeks on a paper towel. And again, don’t clean the pan, it’s needed for the brown butter! 

Brown butter

Place the same pan over low-medium heat and brown a little butter. This should take 4-6 mins. Empty into a heat proof container and set aside in a warm area until ready to use. 

Parsley salsa verde

Chop parsley, caper berries and the reserved ¼ shallot, add extra virgin olive oil, a little caper brine, salt and pepper and set aside.

Eggs

Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 5-6 minutes.

Porridge

Now we return to using the heavy bottomed pan that contains the residual shallot and garlic oil. Add 1 liter of water (or any stock) followed by oats, Boursin and seasonings to the pan, then simmer for about 4 minutes until you reach your preferred consistency. At the end of cooking add a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar as this will enhance the flavors.

Serve with all the toppings and enjoy. 

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That’s all for this week’s recipes & more, I’m back in the kitchen to prepare for our first festive dinner party with old family friends. There will be lots of festive recipes coming your way soon! 

Sarah x