Baked plum porridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the days get shorter I am so happy to switch to a warm breakfast again and even since I did not grow up eating porridge (or Haferbrei as the German equivalent is called) I am a total porridge-freak. I prefer a very simple, near ascetic version of oats cooked in water and some salt and not too smooth mind you, I’ve got all my teeth – but then I top it with blueberries and a little golden syrup. Bliss. Of course, on the weekend a more glamorous breakfast is called for: bring on the baked porridge / oatmeal, a concept totally new to me but I am a convert if you need a healthy and yummy breakfast dish for a few weekend guests or a stress-less brunch.

Lusciously juicy red plums not only lend their marvellous purple-pinkish and yellow colour to this baked porridge but I think their taste is transformed from a sometimes rather watery fruit to a real sweet & warm plummy plum. Add the almond studded delicately maple-sweet oatmeal with the slight tartness of the kefir, a fermented thickened milk, and a hint of lemon for a great, great breakfast dish that could please a crowd for brunch as well as just two. Don’t worry, it lasts for several days in the fridge and I even loved it cold for breakfast (we do not have a microwave but I guess it will reheat quite well if you have one).

The recipe is from Heidi Swanson’s fabulously inspiring new book Near & Far and jumped immediately of the page – along with many other now bookmarked dishes. Rather then her suggested pluots (a cross between plums and apricots) we still have plump & juicy red plums the size of peaches here and I am as much a visual shopper as one who follows an often forgotten list. When faced with beautiful dark red-skinned fruit and a yellow heart which match the autumn colours of the turning leaves in the surrounding forest – who could resist? Eating big spoonfuls topped with creamy Greek yoghurt and holding a strong cup of tea, I am looking forward to misty fields in the morning: Welcome Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness!

 

 

 

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Baked porridge with plums

Serves 6. Adapted from Heidi Swanson’s Near & Far. Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel.

 

Butter (to grease the pan)
zest of 1 lemon
ca. 450g / 1 lb. ripe red plums (about 3-4) or pluots if you can get them
200g / 2 cups rolled oats
60g / ½ cup Marcona almonds (whole)
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant ½ teaspoon salt
60g / ⅓ cup maple syrup
240ml / 1 cup kefir (or buttermilk)
240ml / 1 cup water
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
45g / 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
To serve:
Greek yoghurt (or cream)
maple syrup

 

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F and place a rack in the top third. Butter a baking dish (20cm / 8 inch square with a rim of at least 5cm / 2 inches in height) and sprinkle the butter with lemon zest.

Pit the plums, cut into quarters and halve again for walnut sized pieces, then place them in the baking dish. Mix oats, almonds, baking powder and salt and cover the plums with it. In another bowl, whisk maple syrup, kefir, water, egg, vanilla and half of the melted butter (important: the butter should be cooled, otherwise you’ll get scrambled eggs!). Drizzle slowly over the oat mixture, poke a spoon-handle into a few places and wiggle it around to ensure that the liquid travels right through the dry ingredients. Bake for 35-45 minutes in the top third of the oven until the top is golden brown and the porridge has set. Drizzle with the remaining butter and serve with a healthy dollop of Greek yoghurt per portion (or cream if you prefer) and maple syrup for a sweet tooth.

 

Deutsches Rezept:

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Gebackener Porridge mit Pflaumen

Ergibt 6 Portionen. Nach Heidi Swansons Near & Far. Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel.

 

Butter (für die Form)
abgeriebene Schale einer Zitrone
ca. 450g reife rote Pflaumen (ca. 3-4) oder Pluots falls man diese findet
200g kernige Haferflocken
60g ganze Marcona Mandeln (oder blanchierte ganze Mandeln)
1 TL Backpulver
knapper ½ TL Salz
60g Ahornsirup
240ml Kefir (oder Buttermilch)
240ml Wasser
1 Ei
2 TL Vanilleextrakt
45g / 3 EL Butter, geschmolzen und abgekühlt
Zum Servieren:
Griechischer Joghurt (oder Sahne)
Ahornsirup (optional)

 

Den Backofen auf 190°C vorheizen und ein Gitter in das obere Drittel des Ofens platzieren. Eine Gratinform (20cm, quadratisch, mindestens 5 cm hoher Rand) buttern und mit der Zitronenschale austreuen.

Pflaumen entkernen, vierteln und diese wiederum halbieren um walnußgroße Stücke zu erhalten, dann die Pflaumenstücke in die Form geben. Haferflocken, Mandeln, Backpulver und Salz vermischen und die Früchte damit bedecken. In einer Schüssel Ahornsirup, Kefir, Wasser, Ei, Vanille und die Hälfte der geschmolzenen Butter (wichtig: unbedingt die Butter etwas abkühlen lassen, sonst gibt es Rührei!) verrühren und über der Haferflocken-Mandelmischung gießen. Mit einem Löffelstiel an einigen Stellen in die Mischung stechen und leicht rütteln sodaß sich die Flüssigkeit überall verteilen kann. Den Pflaumen-Porridge 35-45 Minuten im oberen Drittel des Ofens backen bis der er goldbraun und dicklich geworden ist. Mit der restlichen geschmolzenen Butter beträufeln und jede Portion mit Griechischem Joghurt und eventuell mehr Ahornsirup servieren.