Oatmeal is the dish where most kitchens give up. Instant oats, microwave, hot water, fine. Ours starts the night before — steel-cut oats soaked in cold water overnight, then cooked the next morning in a heavy-bottomed pot with whole milk and a pinch of salt over the lowest flame on the stove.
It takes thirty-five minutes. We stir occasionally. By the end the oats are creamy and intact — they hold their shape but they've released enough starch to bind everything into a porridge. That's the texture we want.
Each bowl is finished with banana caramelised on the griddle with a touch of butter and brown sugar, a handful of toasted slivered almonds, and a small jug of warm milk on the side in case you want to thin it. A spoon of brown sugar over the top if you'd like.
$11. Vegetarian, and quietly one of the best breakfasts on the list.
