Ask almost anyone if they have had oatmeal for breakfast and they will say yes. I honestly doubt very many have had to eat them for dinner. Unless of course I just live a very sheltered life. I've always associated oats with breakfast. Oatmeal. That however is exactly what we made last night for dinner. It's a hearty, earthy, comforting soup that uses oats as the main ingredient. At first when I saw this recipe I thought it a bit intriguing. Now I've embraced it, adapted it. I've added herbs and vegetables and made it my own. The original recipe was from from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, but now I've changed it enough I don't even think Marion Cunningham would know it was hers. We had whole grain and vegetables for dinner and not one complaint from my kids!Oatmeal Soup
3 T butter or olive oil
1 onion, minced fine (about 3/4 cup)
1 carrot, minced
1 stock celery, minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 cup uncooked rolled old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp Chef Tess all purpose seasoning
1/2 tsp dry tarragon
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Combine the butter, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and oats in a one gallon pot. Cook until oats are toasted and vegetables sweat, about 5 minutes. Add stock, seasoning, parsley and spinach. Simmer 5-7 minutes until oats are tender.
Serves four generous portions. The oats take on a nice nutty flavor and texture. I love it. 
There you go.
well, my mother eats Oatmeal for dinner just about anytime she's home alone. The woman loves oatmeal! This actually sounds really yummy to me, and what a great BUDGET FRIENDLY meal. Did the starch from the oats make it nice and thick? I may have to sneak this one in on my family to see how they like it.---Lisa
ReplyDeleteI love Oatmeal and have just recently discovered steal cut oats. I wonder how they would be in this soup?
ReplyDeleteLisa, the starch from the oats didn't make it as thick as you would think because of the way the oats are toasted first before broth is added. Ace ate 3 bowls. Marylois, I adore steel cut oats and think that yes, steel cut oats would work wonderfully, just be sure to cook them a little longer (I would say around 12 minutes) if they are the steel cut oats I'm thinking of that aren't rolled, just cut like cracked wheat.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if soaking the steel cut oats in the broth first would help.
ReplyDeleteI think going ahead and toasting them would actually be wonderful, as they would have that same nutty flavor that happens when pilaf grains are toasted. I'm going to have to try them now. Mmmm. Oats...
ReplyDeleteI am eating Tess' Oatmeal Soup as I'm typing, and all I have to say is: For YUM!!! I had my doubts about this recipe, not being a big fan of oatmeal. But good grief is this good!
ReplyDeleteSo at this point, Tess could tell me to eat dirt mixed with a little soup chicken stock and her amazing seasoning and my mouth would start watering.
Thank you for an easy, healthy and totally inexpensive meal.
Yeah Olivia for wonderful feedback...and a huge boost to my ego! Love you girl!!
ReplyDeleteSo I made this last night and magically those basic ingredients turned into something amazing. I ate more than I needed to just because it was so good and Dan had three big bowls. We ate it with homemade bread and I think it's the first vegetarian meal that Dan will request. There is nothing left after packing lunch so next time I'm doubling the recipe.
ReplyDeleteSwweeeeeet!! Thanks for the wonderful comment Shae! Xoxo!! Smooooches!!
ReplyDeleteWhere might one find your all purpose seasoning? I checked your etsy store and it says no longer available. If you aren't selling it, do you have the ingredients for it so we could blend it ourselves?
ReplyDelete