World Flavors Cookbook

Traditional Scottish Porridge

Scotland's sacred morning ritual — coarse steel-cut oats slow-cooked with water and a pinch of salt, stirred clockwise with a spurtle.

Cuisine: United Kingdom

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel-cut (pinhead) oats
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Cold cream or milk for serving
• Honey or brown sugar (optional — purists use only salt)

Instructions

1. Bring water to a rolling boil.
2. Slowly pour in oats while stirring clockwise with a spurtle (wooden stick).
3. Reduce heat to low simmer. Cook 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add salt in the last 5 minutes (adding too early toughens oats).
5. Serve in a bowl with cold cream poured around the edge.
6. Traditionally, dip each spoonful into a separate bowl of cold cream.