Oat Risotto with Peas and Pecorino

Food & Wine (July 2008)

When Clay initially suggested we make this dish, I kept thinking he was saying "haute risotto."

"Why would we make something so fancy for a weeknight dinner for just us?" I thought.

Turns out, though, that "haute risotto" is a pretty fitting name for this amazingly delicious -- and delightfully unconventional -- dish.

As soon as we started cooking this recipe, we wondered why we've never made -- or even heard of -- a savory take on oatmeal. We eat steel-cut oats all the time, but they've been relegated to breakfast.

But a savory oatmeal dish is a no-brainer. While we love a traditional, creamy risotto made with arborio rice, swapping in oats gives the dish an earthier heft and a sumptuous, almost whole-wheat tone.

We're eager to try more savory spins on oatmeal. And, armed with this recipe, you could surely mix it up the way you would any other risotto, using whatever fresh veggies you might have on hand.

But you should definitely start with this one.  It's sure to add an haute accompaniment to any meal.

Oat Risotto with Peas and Pecorino
Food & Wine (July 2008)
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TOTAL TIME: 35 MIN
SERVES: 6

Ingredients

    * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    * 1 leek, white and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
    * 1 cup steel-cut oats, such as McCann’s
    * 5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
    * Salt and freshly ground white pepper
    * 1 cup frozen baby peas (5 ounces), thawed
    * 1 scallion, thinly sliced
    * 1 cup pecorino shavings

Directions

   1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oats and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the stock and simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until nearly absorbed. Continue cooking the oats, adding 1 cup of stock at a time and cooking until the liquid is nearly absorbed between additions. The risotto is done when the oats are chewy-tender and suspended in a thick sauce, about 25 minutes total. Season with salt and white pepper. Stir in the peas, scallion and 3/4 cup of the cheese and cook until the peas are heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer the risotto to bowls, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

Comments

[Stefanie]

the first two lines of this post made me laugh so much. love this idea. i'll definitely try it soon!

[[eatingclub vancouver] js]

Definitely intriguing, this oatmeal in a savoury application. I imagine it would only work with steel-cut oats, no?

[Zach@The Bitten Word]

Yes, I think steel-cut oats would be the only way to go here. Regular oatmeal would just get too mushy, I think.

[Elizabeth @ Capital Spice]

Cool idea. Mike and I love making risotto but save it for colder months because its a rich dish and, well, you can hide the effects of a rich dish better in a sweater.

I've never considered replacing the rice with oatmeal. I'll definitely come back to this recipe soon!