By : anneka (they.them.theirs)
Well, it appears that the winter winds are finally howling towards us (at least for a few days). Just in time, I made a batch of Spicy Apple Porridge to fuel me up. It turned out so well that I wanted to share the recipe. Minnesota apples, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, and cardamom combine with grains of your choice for a breakfast delicious enough to pull you out of a cozy bed. Plus you can make it ahead of time.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 tart apples, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 brown sugar, palm sugar, maple syrup, OR honey
- juice of 1/2 medium lemon
- a whole star anise
- 3 green cardamom pods, split open
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups mixed grains such as millet, barley, wheat berries, rye berries (I used millet and barley)
Put the star anise and cardamom pods into a spice bag or tie up in cheese cloth for easy removal at the end. Then combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about an hour, until grains are tender and mixture looks porridge-y. While cooking, periodically check to make sure there is still enough liquid. You can eat this hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. Rewarm with a little water or milk for a hot breakfast or lunch. Try toping it with yogurt, raisins, nuts, lemon zest, or more maple syrup for even more tastiness. You can also experiment with adding cranberries, ginger, or dried fruits while you cook the apples and grains. This recipe makes about 5-6 cups of porridge.
(My porridge was inspired by Martha Shulman’s Apple-Spice Breakfast soup)