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Oats for Dinner, Four Ways

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large leek
  • 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 bunch chard
  • 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions

  1. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over low heat.
  2. Trim and chop the white and light green parts of the leek; put it in a colander under cold water to rinse away any grit. Drain.
  3. Add the leek to the pot and raise the heat to medium-high. In a minute or two, when the water has evaporated and the leek sizzles, add 1 1/2 cups oats and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the leek begins to soften but not brown, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low.
  4. Trim the chard; separate the center ribs and leaves; chop the ribs, add them to the pot, and stir.
    Halve the orange and squeeze the juice into the pot through a strainer or your fingers to catch the seeds.
  5. Add 3 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
  6. Stack the chard leaves and slice them into thin ribbons.
    Chop the walnuts as finely as you can manage.
  7. Tip the pot: If there’s no water, add another 1/2 cup. Stir in the chard ribbons with a fork. Return the lid and cook, checking once or twice to make sure the oats aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the oats are tender and the water is absorbed, another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the walnuts, fluff with a fork, and serve.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Oats with Broccoli and Cheddar for Dinner Use the juice of 1 lemon instead of the orange juice. Substitute 1 pound broccoli for the chard; trim and chop the florets and stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Add them in Step 4 as directed for the chard leaves. Instead of the walnuts, grate 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (preferably white); add it and fluff with a fork before tasting for seasoning in Step 4.

Oats with Sharp Greens and Fried Eggs for Dinner Substitute 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar for the orange juice. Instead of the chard, use 1 pound assertive greens like radicchio, watercress, or dandelion greens (alone or in combination). Trim and chop them, then add in Step 4 as directed for the chard leaves. While the oats and greens are finishing at the end of Step 4, fry 4 or more eggs.

Oats with Spinach and Sardines for Dinner Inspired by an iconic dish from southern Spain.  Instead of the orange juice, increase the water in Step 3 to 3 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup raisins. Substitute 10 ounces spinach for the chard. Trim it if necessary, but leave the leaves whole. Add it in Step 4 as directed for the chard leaves. Substitute pine nuts for the walnuts and top each serving with several small oil-packed smoked sardines (from 2 cans or jars, about 4 ounces each).