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Monday 22 April 2013

Quinoa porridge with berries and hazelnuts

Quinoa porridge berries hazelnuts

Matt thinks I'm a "soft Melburnian". The other night, after riding home in the rain and wind, I seriously considered turning on the heater. It would have been the first time since early spring last year, but I was drenched and miserable. Matt must be hot blooded - he never feels the cold - but strangely, never perspires. Vampire maybe? Growing up in the Bennetto household has armed me with the the nerves to withstand a pretty brutal assault of ribbing and name-calling. I don't mind being called soft if it means I can be warm. Besides, warm and soft reminds me of chocolate pudding. I'm down with that.

And so begins our journey into winter food. I swore I'd never use the word 'journey' in the same sentence as 'food'. Masterchef this ain't (besides, I have hardly any tanties in the kitchen these days). We had soup for dinner (you'll see it later this week - sorry to leave you in suspenders) and porridge is doing it's job getting me going in the morning. But I can't spend six months of the year eating bran and the remainder porridge. I mixed it up winter-style this weekend with quinoa flakes.


I'll be honest. I had quinoa porridge the other day with caramelised pineapple, mint and pistachios. It was pretty close to the most insipid meal I've eaten in a long time. The mint was slimy, the quinoa weird-tasting and watery and pineapple on the barbecue tasted like burgers on the barbecue. I'd like to say it was from someone else's kitchen, but alas. I needed to start over and go back to my porridgey roots.

Quinoa porridge berries hazelnuts

My early forays with porridge were not pleasant. Dad would make it for breakfast of a morning and I could not abide the texture (the acrid taste from a burnt out pan didn't help). Nope, it was toast with vegemite for this little lady. Crumpets if I was feeling adventurous. It wasn't until I was in my late twenties that I first started appreciating porridge for the winter warmer that it is.

Porridge and berries are pretty amazing together: creamy, sweet, tart. Even better, frozen berries are perfect here - they cool down the liquid lava porridge and still keep their shape.

I can tell you're admiring my beautiful new bowl and spoon (I have a sixth sense about admiration). My lovely lady Paige sent them over to us from Ye Olde Londontown as an engagement present. I squealed as soon as I tore open the wrapping, already planning ways I could use them in the blog. This is one thoughtful woman. I lived with her in my first sharehouse out of college. Paige is the Queen of Knick-knack-land. Every room had a new theme and was crammed to the brim with beautiful little pieces. Even more amazing: she tolerated my filthpiggishness for an entire year. God bless her.

Quinoa porridge berries hazelnuts

It's important here you use a variety of quinoa and the flakes. The flakes can give the dish the smooth texture you need for porridge, but too much and it becomes sludgey. No one want a bowl of sludge for breakfast. Not even with berries. The quinoa gives it some body and once the milk is added, it a lovely alternative to a bowl of oats. Sweeten it up with honey and berries and enjoy with your favourite tea.

Ingredients

1/4 cup quinoa
2 tbsp quinoa flakes
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup frozen berries
10 hazelnuts
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Chop the hazelnuts in half and toast in a dry frypan until golden.

Place both quantities of quinoa in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for around 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir through the berries, salt and hazelnuts. Top with the honey and milk.

Quinoa porridge berries hazelnuts

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