Kantine's Porridge, Sweet
Kantine may make two of my favorite breakfast meals of all time: porridge, made two ways: one sweet, one savory.
Here we recreate the sweet: creamy porridge with poached quince and cardamom compote, with pistachio and pomegranate. 3x gluten free flours are used: buckwheat, oat flakes and millet.
Warm oats can be an easy replacement in a crunch- but the mix of all three bring such a different bite and diverse nutrients. I was hooked on adding a little turmeric with honey for a while. Strange, maybe, but I cannot get enough!
Poached quince and cardamom compote
Ingredients
3 medium quinces, rinsed
3 cups water
1 cup sugar or honey
Juice and peel from 1/2 lemon
8–10 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
Instructions
Peel, quarter, and core the quinces. As you finish, place the pieces in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar or honey, lemon juice, lemon peel, and crushed cardamom pods. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the drained quince quarters to the simmering liquid. Place a round of parchment paper directly on the surface to help them cook evenly.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 50–60 minutes, until the quince is tender and turns a lovely deep pink or rosy red color. Let the quince cool completely in the syrup.
Creamy three-grain porridge
Ingredients
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
4 cups water (or use 3 1/2 cups if soaking grains overnight)
1/2–1 cup dairy-free milk (such as almond or coconut), plus extra for serving
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 tbsp maple syrup or other sweetener, to taste (optional)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
For a faster cooking time, soak the grains overnight in enough water to cover them. Drain and rinse before cooking.
In a medium saucepan, combine the buckwheat, millet, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the grains have softened. Stir in the gluten-free rolled oats, dairy-free milk, salt, and any optional spices and sweeteners.
Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until the porridge is creamy and has reached your desired consistency. This will take about 5–10 more minutes.
Assembly
Ladle the warm porridge into bowls.
Top generously with the poached quince and a spoonful of the cardamom compote syrup.
Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and fresh pomegranate seeds.
Finish with an extra drizzle of dairy-free milk if desired.
Variations:
Cardamom honey poached quince with labneh (soft cheese)
Ingredients
4 medium quinces, peeled, cored, and halved
½ cup honey
4 cups water
Thinly peeled rind and juice of 1 orange
10 green cardamom pods
2 cups labneh (a type of yogurt strained into a soft cheese)
ÂĽ cup pistachio, roughly chopped
quince syrup for serving
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine honey, water, orange juice, orange rind, and cardamom pods.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
Lower the heat and cook gently until the quince is tender when pierced with a knife, about 50-60 minutes.
When the quince pieces are tender, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Continue cooking the poaching liquid and let it reduce to a syrup, about another 30 minutes.
Divide the labneh into four serving plates. Add the quince. Top with pistachios and the syrup.
Store the remaining quinces and syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Another version of porridge: Ingredients
1 cup mixed gluten-free grains, I like a combination of rolled oats*, quinoa, millet, and creamy buckwheat, preferably soaked overnight in water and drained
4 cups water, use 3 ½ cups of water if grains were soaked
½ – 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice, click here for how to make your own almond milk
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine the grains and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered.
Cook until all the grains are tender, about 25-30 minutes. If grains were previously soaked, they will cook much more quickly!
Stir in the almond milk according to whether you like your porridge is thick or thin until porridge is nice and creamy. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few days. Reheat in a saucepan with a little water or almond milk to desired consistency.
Notes
Soaking overnight helps break down the grains for faster cooking and improved digestibility.
If you are gluten-intolerant or sensitive, be sure to choose specially labeled certified gluten-free oats if you are gluten-intolerant or sensitive.
Make a larger batch and store in individual containers for a quick grab-and-go breakfast.
Your cooked porridge can be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.
To reheat your porridge, add a bit of milk or water and warm in a saucepan or microwave until creamy and heated through.
An Even Simpler Porridge
PORRIDGE
1 cup uncooked millet
2 cups water
2 cups dairy-free milk (plain, unsweetened // we like boxed coconut or almond milk, or half the amount of canned light coconut milk plus more water)
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice // plus more to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or other spices to taste)
FOR TOPPING optional
Cinnamon-Spiced Pears (or berries, banana, stewed apples)
Chai-Spiced Granola (or other granola, chopped nuts, seeds)
Instructions
OPTIONAL (for improved nutrient absorption and to reduce bitterness*): Soak millet overnight (or at least 6-8 hours) covered by 1-2 inches of cool water with a little apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse.
Add millet to a large saucepan or pot with water and dairy-free milk. Stir. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for ~20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the millet is tender. There should still be enough liquid that it’s soupy in texture — if not, add more dairy-free milk or water as needed.
Optional: Use a blender to smooth. Add desired flavorings: We like maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Serve warm with desired toppings (we love spiced pears and granola). Other delicious options include berries, banana, stewed apples, or chopped nuts and seeds.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. It will firm up / harden in the refrigerator/freezer, so add more dairy-free milk or water when reheating (on the stovetop or in the microwave). To defrost from frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Warm oats can be an easy replacement if short on time, with some honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. I love adding a little turmeric to a warm bowl of oats, even if it has some sweetness to it. Dried berries and nuts make easy addition.
