This is always a funny time of the year – when rhubarb is both in season down here in Melbourne and in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time. I can see everyone online going spring rhubarb crazy, pairing it with new season strawberries and using it in warm weather recipes. Whilst we have rhubarb later in the year (our spring) we also have it now at the end of autumn, where it is delicious combined with apples and roasted in cold weather dishes. I’m not sure if we’re just lucky that rhubarb seems to grow so well here, or if it shows up at other times of the year on the other side of the world too. Either way, it fills me with lots of glee when we can make the same recipes at the same time as our friends North side.
This little number I have been tweaking for the past few weeks – trying different fruit and flavour combinations. Many have been delicious, but this one is a particular favourite: a baked porridge (oatmeal) recipe using steel cut oats, layered with rhubarb, spiked with orange zest and studded with plenty of pistachios. It’s sweetened with just a little coconut sugar to counter balance the tartness of the rhubarb, and a little maple is a delicious addition to drizzle on top when serving.
I absolutely love steel cut oats. I feel that they are in a league entirely of their own, leaving rolled oats in the dust. They’re chewy, substantial, and not as gluggy as the latter. Also called pinhead or Irish oats, they are made by cutting the whole oat groat with metal blades into 2 or 3 pieces (hence, “steel cut”). This causes them to cook quicker than whole groats, but still have that chewy whole grain feeling. The only downside is that they should really be soaked overnight to make them quicker to cook. That said, it’s a good idea to soak any oats overnight to aid your digestion, so it’s no biggie really!
Feel free to substitute in any seasonal fruit you have available if rhubarb isn’t – thinly sliced apple or pear, berries, stone fruit. A variety of nuts and seeds could also be used here. If you have access to Bob’s Red Mill brand, I know he sells gluten free steel cut oats. There are probably other brands too, if you need it to be gluten free.
Baked Rhubarb Steel Cut Oats with Orange and Pistachio
Steel-cut oats, also called pinhead, coarse, or Irish oats are whole oat groats that have been cut into two or three pieces. The texture is chewier than regular rolled oats, and I personally prefer them. This recipe needs to be started the night before to soak the oats, overwise the oats won’t cook in time. The amount of liquid and cooking time reflects that required for steel cut oats, I have not tested the recipe with rolled oats but imagine it would be easy to substitute them in if needed. This recipe would work with a variety of different nuts and seasonal fruit – thinly sliced apple or pear, berries, stone fruit etc. This recipe could easily by scaled up to serve more.
Adapted from Izy Hossack’s Baked Pear, Chocolate & Hazelnut Oatmeal.
Serves 2.
Soak time: overnight
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
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Baked Rhubarb Steel Cut Oats with Orange and Pistachio
75g | 1/2 cup steel cut oats (pinhead oats, gf if needed) **
375ml | 1.5 cups water
20g | 1.5 tbls chia seeds
20g | 1.5 tbls coconut sugar
1/8 tsp | a few gratings of orange zest
2-3 stalks of rhubarb, trimmed
20g | 1/8 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Maple syrup, to serve
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The night before, mix the oats and water in a jug. Cover and leave to soak at room temperature.
The next morning set the oven to 180C.
Add the chia, coconut sugar and orange zest into the oats and whisk with a fork well till combined. Pour the contents into a oven safe dish approx 20cm/8 inch in diameter.
Cut the rhubarb stalks into pieces that fit your dish, and lay them on top of the oats.
Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.
Bake in the oven for 40 min, till most the water has been absorbed and the oats and rhubarb are cooked through.
Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.
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