Kantine may make two of my favorite breakfast meals of all time: porridge, made two ways: one sweet, one savory.

This is the BEST hot (3-grain again) porridge with wild mushrooms, kale and farmers cheese. The 3x gluten free flours are buckwheat, oat flakes and millet.

Add a runny egg or crispy bacon bits for a warm bite of heaven.

The recipe uses a mix of steel-cut oats, quinoa, and brown rice for the "three grains" and incorporates toasted sunflower seeds, a detail mentioned on Kantine's Instagram.

Kantine-style 3-grain porridge

Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the porridge:

1/2 cup steel-cut oats
1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup brown rice
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup kale, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional, as mentioned in one Kantine post)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the toppings:

1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz wild mushrooms, sliced (cremini or shiitake are great options)
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup farmers cheese
2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds

For optional add-ons:

4 eggs, cooked runny
4 strips crispy bacon, crumbled

Instructions

Prepare the grains: In a medium saucepan, combine the steel-cut oats, rinsed quinoa, and brown rice with 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 40–45 minutes, or until the grains are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If the porridge becomes too thick, add a splash of water or more broth. Stir in the turmeric, if using.
Sauté the mushrooms and kale: While the porridge cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until browned and tender, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the chopped kale and cook until it wilts, about 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the optional toppings:
- For the eggs: Fry or poach the eggs to your desired runniness.
- For the bacon: Cook the bacon strips in a separate pan until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble once cooled.
Assemble the porridge: Ladle the hot porridge into bowls. Top with the sautéed mushroom and kale mixture, followed by the farmers cheese and a sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds. Add a runny egg or crispy bacon bits if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy the warm, savory comfort.

Inspiration

You could certainly play around with other grains: some other good ones are long-grain brown rice, buckwheat groats, red quinoa, amaranth and farro (all from the bulk bins with the exception of the farro, which I had on hand; used this brand).

Savory five-grain porridge is an easy one pot dish perfect for this time of year — homey and comforting. I like a long, slow simmer until the grains soften and slowly become thick and porridge-y. This requires a stir from time to time — every time you walk past the pot, give it a stir — but other than that, it’s hands-free cooking. I like that some of the grains retain their bite, adding some nice texture to the porridge.

As for the toppings, that’s entirely up to you. I topped my bowl with sautéed mushrooms, a spicy microgreens mix, chives (or scallions), a boiled egg, and chili oil (recipes below).

You can add a tablespoon of red miso and butter at the end and swirled into the porridge for an added umami boost…

Savory Five-Grain Porridge

1/3 cup long grain brown rice
1/3 cup farro, (Rustichella is a good one)
1/3 cup buckwheat groats
1/3 cup quinoa, red, white or multi-colored
1/3 cup amaranth
5 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or *porcini mushroom broth, more if needed
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon miso, white or red

*Note: if you use porcini broth, strain out the rehydrated mushroom from the broth, chop and add to the porridge

Suggested toppings:
Sautéed mushrooms
Spicy microgreens
Shichimi Togarashi chile oil (recipe here)
Soy cured soft-boiled eggs (recipe here); or substitute soft-boiled, poached or fried egg
Chives or scallions

Place the brown rice in a spice grinder and pulse a few times until broken into smaller pieces. Combine the grains in a large pot. Add the stock and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick and porridge-y, stirring often, about 40 minutes. You may need to add a little more stock or water if it gets too thick. When the porridge is thick, stir in the butter and miso. Taste, adding more salt if needed. Serve hot with suggested toppings.

Chili Oil

Brown Rice Bowl with Shichimi Togarashi-Spiced Sesame Chili Oil

brown rice
1 avocado thinly sliced
Nori, cut into thin strips
Green parts of scallion, thinly sliced on a bias
Watermelon radish, thinly sliced
Poached egg
shichimi togarashi-spiced sesame chili oil (recipe below)

Shichimi Togarashi-Spiced Sesame Chili Oil

Adatped from Japanese Soul Cooking
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion, white parts only
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon shichimi togarashi
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (used Korean Gochugaru flakes)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (combination of white and black if you like)
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
salt to taste

Add 1/4 cup sesame oil to a a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the ginger, garlic, scallion, and shallot. Bring back to a simmer over low heat. Gently simmer, swirling the pan, until the ingredients are soft and golden (but not browned), about 3 minutes.

In a heatproof bowl, combine the togarashi, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and peanuts. Pour the hot mixture into the bowl. Add the other 1/4 cup of sesame oil. Season with salt and stir to combine. The oil will develop more flavor as it sits for a few hours.

Soft-boiled Egg

Soy/Tamari Cured Eggs

1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
3/4 cup coconut amino (soy or tamari)
6 large eggs

Whisk together the water, sugar, Sherry vinegar, coconut aminos in a bowl.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs, reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath. With a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to an ice water bath. Peel the eggs.

Place the eggs in the bowl with the soy mixture. Make sure that the eggs are fully submerged. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 4 hours (up to 12 hours). Remove from the marinade and serve. The soy mixture can be reused for another batch of eggs.

Additional sides:

Fava Bean Puree

2 cups of shelled fava beans, from about 4 pounds unpeeled
1 large garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a little sea salt (grate with the side of a large knife)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Squeeze of lemon
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

For serving:

Toasted/grilled bread, used multigrain sourdough, brushed with olive oil and toasted
Shaved Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
Radish microgreens (or thinly sliced radishes)
Extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the fava beans and simmer for about 2 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to an ice water bath. Drain. Peel the beans from their inner shell.

Place the peeled beans in a food processor, along with the crushed garlic and rosemary. Add a squeeze of lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse a few times until you have a rough puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Taste, adding more lemon juice or salt as needed.

Serve on toasted/grilled bread with thinly shaved Pecorino or Parmesan cheese and radish microgreens (or thin slices of radish). Finish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

1 bunch of asparagus, preferably fatter stalks
Extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Shaved Parmesan
Flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Toasted nute, chopped
Chive blossom flowers (optional)

Trim the woody ends of the asparagus. With a vegetable peeler, slice the asparagus into long ribbons. Place in a bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Top with shaved Parmesan, toasted almonds, and chive blossom flowers.