Barley & Almond Porridge
Here we are in the middle of #28daysofoatmeal, my annual (four years strong!) challenge to serve up your daily oats a little differently each day of the month. While I love my default steel-cut oats, I’m going to turn the steering wheel ever so slightly and veer into the world of porridge.
In Amy Chaplin’s book Whole Food Cooking Every Day (which I continue to believe is essential, regardless of whether or not you’re interested in plant-based eating) she’s devised an endlessly versatile method for making porridge from soaked, whole grains. It’s creamy and as satisfying as any oatmeal I’ve ever made, and is vegan, and of course has the nutritional and digestive benefits of using soaked, whole grains. She also offers variations where you blend nuts and seeds into the oats to add protein, flavor, and texture, which I’ve come to think of as a built in nondairy milk element.
I’ve been using her method with barley, both pearled and hulled, with wonderful results—I really like barley, but forget about it for stretches of time, and it has a similar sweetness and creaminess to oats. I’d wanted to impart some of the toasty flavor that I so enjoy in my steel-cut oats (I toast them before adding liquid) by soaking freshly roasted nuts, but unfortunately it doesn’t work. Even after blitzing thoroughly in a vitamix, there’s a sawdusty texture and bitter aftertaste. So if you’re after toasty flavor, reach for a finishing oil, like toasted sesame or any roasted nut oil, instead.
It requires a teeny bit of foresight (remembering to soak the grains and nuts at least 4 hours in advance), but the cooking time is the same as for most other oatmeal methods I’ve tried, and it can be batched and reheated several days later in the week.
Barley and Almond Porridge
This porridge method is from Amy Chaplin’s indispensable book Whole Food Cooking Every Day. While hulled barley is more of a whole grain than pearled barley, both work here. My oatmeal/porridge toppings are usually savory, so I don’t add ground cinnamon, ginger, or cardamon or any of the warm spices to this, but know that can be a way to give it more personality. A touch of sweetness is necessary to make the most of the almond flavor, hence the sugar or other sweetener.
Makes about 3 servings
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup barley, pearled or hulled
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar, honey, or other sweetener (date syrup, maple)
In separate bowls, cover the almonds and barley with about plenty of water. Know that the barley will swell significantly. Soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
Drain and rinse the almonds, then transfer them to the pitcher of a blender. Add the 3 cups water and salt, and blend until liquefied. Drain and rinse the barley, then add that to the pitcher as well. Blend until the grains are well ground, or more thoroughly if you prefer a smooth porridge (they’ll sink to the bottom of the blender when the motor is off).
Transfer the contents to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often with a spatula to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture thickens and the grains are pleasantly chewy. Stir in the sweetener and simmer for a few minutes more so that it dissolves. Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How it’s served in the photo: In a skillet, I’ve seared a few slices of butternut squash in a splash of olive oil, until well caramelized and tender, and done the same for a small wedge of cabbage (which takes much less time). I’ve garnished with toasted almonds and a sweet-savory drizzle made from about 1 teaspoon white miso, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and several grinds of black pepper.