Abstract:

Rice, pasta, potato. Lather, rinse, repeat. Don'tcha ever feel like mixing up the side dish routine a little bit? When I'm looking for something a little different sitting on a plate next to my Sunday pot roast, I turn to oatmeal. Oats are often overlooked when it comes to savory recipes, and that's a shame, because oatmeal; specifically steel cut oats (a.k.a. pin oats) are an fantastic alternative to the usual sides. With only six ingredients (five if you don't count water) and a hands-off method, this is a side dish that's as simple as it is unique. If you're a fan of those boxed or bagged boil-it-up -quick side dishes (and you don't mind waiting a wee bit longer for home cookin'), I reckon this'll be right up your alley.

Purpose:

When I was in college, I lived off of bagged side dishes. You know, the ones that almost always begin by boiling a cup and a half of water, a half cup of milk, and 2 tablespoons of butter (or margarine - ack!). Dump in the bag, and then continue another eight to to ten minutes. I'd throw in a bag of frozen vegetables, and garnish with a little Sriracha. Oh man, that was living; one step above instant ramen and a cheap and effective way to prepare dinner and next day's lunch at the same time.



I barely ever buy the bagged pasta or rice dishes anymore. When you're pantry's stocked, it's just more fun to roll your own sides. That's not to say however that a side dish should be complicated. Oh, sure, rice is nice, and I've been known to DIY a pasta side as well, but as carbs always tend to anchor a meal, I like to mix it up a bit. I'm all about variety, I still believe in side simplicity. One dish that you'll never see coming in a "boil it up" style pouch is steel cut or "pin" oats. My favorite steel cut oat preparations almost always lean toward the savory side, as steel cut oats are hearty and satisfying (truthfully, I'm not much of a breakfast eater either; at least not for breakfast). This particular recipe cuts the mouth feel monotony of the steel cut with the subtle sweetness and texture of a bag of frozen peas; which is far and away a better use for said vegetable than any post-op recovery from a fella's elective surgery.