THE PERFECT... Porridge

Your cut-out-and-keep guide to the fundamentals of cooking

Agood porridge has a perfect combination and balance of texture and creaminesss. You don’t want it too smooth and mushy. You do want it to be creamy, but not so much that it’s heavy. Good oats are the key to a good porridge. Personally, I favour Flahavan’s, and they are also firm enough to make a good granola.

The biggest mistake people make with porridge is not getting the timings and measurements right. You don’t want to cook your porridge too fast, because the oats soak up the liquid the same way — fast — and you’ll get a lumpy porridge.

Stirring is also very important. When you stir, do it only in one direction. If you stir one way and then back the other way, you will break down the fibres of the oats and turn it more to mush. One rule of thumb is that the smaller the oats, the faster they will cook. So, if you are time-bound, try the Bunalun brand of oats, for a porridge that will cook more quickly to the perfect consistency.

People have all sorts of preferences about what liquids they use in their porridge. Some go for all water, which will, obviously, produce the least creamy porridge. Some like a mix of milk and water, which is a bit more creamy. I never use just water, as it lends no flavour to the porridge. My recommendation is a ratio of 2:1, cream to milk. This gives a creamy but not-too-rich result.

Nice accompaniments to your cooked porridge would vary from the traditional berries to soaked golden raisins to candied pecans. There is a new trend to add protein powder, or peanut or almond butter, in the health-conscious new year. What I like, on a winter Sunday morning, is a tablespoon of brown sugar and a splash of Slane Whiskey.

Garry’s Porridge Serves 2 You will need:

100g porridge oats 200ml cream 100ml skimmed milk Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 Using a small pot, add the oats, all the cream bar one tablespoon, the skimmed milk, and the pinch of salt.

2 Put the pot on a low heat, stirring continuously in one direction for 10 minutes, until the porridge starts to thicken.

3 Remove the pot from heat for 2 minutes to let the porridge settle. Place the pot back on to the heat for 2-3 minutes to finish the cooking.

4 Serve with the reserved tablespoon of cream, the brown sugar, or toppings of your choice.

Garry Hughes is executive chef at The Shelbourne Hotel, 27 St Stephen’s Green, D2, tel: (01) 663-4500, or see marriott.com