Springtime in New Orleans is a bright and verdant spectacle. Everyone seems to be in a good mood. It’s French Quarter Fest right now. Jazz Fest is not long after. I’ve been intentionally working on gratitude this year, but the weather and the longer days and the sunshine make it easy these days. Consider my garden, for example. I have four chickens that love to snack on anything I plant in the yard, the more precious and costly, the more tantalizing. Even still, my flowers bravely pop their heads up toward the sun in the shadow of beaks; I say Thank You.
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum hosted the “Made in Louisiana” exhibit last weekend, and I am dazzled and inspired to meet new local talent in the foodie-verse.
Here are my favorites:
In the New Orleans Bake This Day kitchen, we have been enjoying porridge breads of late. Here is my favorite oat bread.
Tartine Oat Porridge Bread
Adapted from Tartine Book No 3
Wheat flour 500 g
All purpose flour 500 g
Wheat bran 70 g
Water 750 g
Sourdough starter 150 g
Sea salt 25 g
Cooked oat porridge* 500 g
Podor almond oil 50 g
*How to make oat porridge
Combine oat grains in a three to one ratio (I used 750 g of water to 250 g Flahavans Rolled Oats grains) and stir. I decided to pre-ferment my grains with adding 1 TB yogurt to the soaking liquid, and I let it sit, covered overnight. Then I transferred it to the fridge for a few days (because I didn’t have time to get it done), but then took it out, drained off the excess liquid, and cooked on the stove for about fifteen minutes until most of the water had boiled off.
Follow the tartine master method, and after two turns, about 1 hour into the bulk rise, add the oat porridge and almond oil gently by hand until totally incorporated. Follow the tartine method for rising, shaping, and I forgot to coat in oat flakes (wish I had for aesthetics), but is basically breakfast in a slice of toast.
Mocha Overnight Oats
Combine ½ cup Flahavans Rolled Oats with ½ cup milk and ¼ cup Java House Cold Brew coffee. Mix in 1 TB maple syrup (I used Runamok!), 1 tsp cocoa powder and 1 tsp chia seeds, ¼ tsp vanilla. Put in the fridge and let soak overnight (at least 8 hours).
Try this Blueberry Crunch Granola, all made in one bowl and yummy, with milk or on top of Greek yogurt!
Blueberry Crunch Granola
From the PDX Bake This Day kitchen
1/3 cup real maple syrup ( I used Runamok Maple Syrup, cardamom flavored)
1/3 cup brown sugar
4, yes 4, teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup oil, grapeseed or vegetable
5 cups old fashioned raw oats
2 cups dried blueberries
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup chopped raw almonds
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the second four ingredients and mix well. Using a spatula press into a sheet pan lined with parchment.
Bake 20 minutes, turn, and bake another 20 minutes until crispy and brown.
Let cool thoroughly and break into chunks.