Creation Amidst Nothing

As soon as I could when I got back to Hamilton, I went to visit my friend’s used-and-vintage clothing boutique.  She loves clothes, was formally trained and worked with high-end designers in Milan, and opened Hawk & Sparrow in Ontario’s steel town two years ago so she could run her own store.   Aside from curating the city’s best selection of stylish clothing, she’s now designing, making and selling clothes and jewelry; and I found – and purchased – a silver-and-brass two-finger agate ring that rivals and even increases the beauty of my silver Swarovski bracelet (that, while I like it, cost four times as much as the ring and is far from being a genuinely unique piece).

Being back in Hamilton has been wildly creative for me.  Perhaps it is the isolation from indulgences or inspiration from highly-creative friends, or perhaps being in a city that was founded on and steeped in production for so many years sets a standard for those living here.

Necessity being the mother of invention, such worn-down cities as Hamilton seem fantastic fodder for creatives:  they have beauty in the raw, luxury is minimal and materials come cheap.  Those with eyes to see and hearts willing to express themselves may find places like this a wonderland, even in its difficulty.

The can of Scottish steel-cut oats was tucked on the top shelf; autumn’s chill inspires in me a desire to begin the day with a bowl of hot oatmeal.  I popped the lid open and found it still sealed; I’d wait to raid the cabinet until I’d talked to its owner.

We were inspired, playing off one another’s preferences and ideas, and the not-so-little-one piped in, too; the recipe was developed, in theory, at least, and I had the plan ringing in my ears.  I couldn’t wait to try it.

What developed in the kitchen the next morning has become our favorite breakfast, a medly of unexpected flavors playing off one another that nourish well; we’re not hungry until late in the afternoon.

A bed of hot, creamy, cinnamon-and-clove-spiced oats holds a spoonful of ginger-lemon kale touched with a bit more cinnamon, drizzled with a bit of lemon-molasses syrup, topped with a warmed, candied, canned sardine and served with a heated lemon slice.  Perfection.  Gourmet flavors.  At a minuscule price.

I was shocked at the first spoonful, at the range of flavors and textures that hit my palate:  sour-creamy-salty-bitter-sweet; they continued and varied in intensity, bite after bite, layers of chewy oats and crunchy kale, pungent molasses and spicy ginger, of tender fish flesh melding in a way that commanded my attention and demanded addictive eating.  Even when the bowl was finished and my appetite sated, I wished for more – to continue tasting the unique, unusual balance of a never-before-experienced-or-imagined meal.

Had I not made it myself, I’d have paid a good deal for this meal, as simple as it was.  Had I not tasted it, experienced for myself the flavor balance of this savory-sweet breakfast, I might have scoffed at this twist on ordinary, sweetened oatmeal.

This was the genius of the chefs I’d watched on Top Chef and Chopped, the creative ability to come up with something incredible and unique with commonplace ingredients.

We’ve since experimented with cod liver, with tomato-chili-soaked sardines and with canned salmon; all are just as good, in their own ways.

One added benefit I personally love is the silkiness of my skin, now that my diet is rich with omega-3s from the fish and with silica from the oats.

I should note that my girlfriend, who does appreciate good food, is not crazy for this dish – so maybe it’s an acquired taste, or one for those with adventurous palates.  I am, no doubt, of the latter.

Savory-Sweet Oatmeal with Ginger-Lemon Black Kale and Molasses-Candied Sardines

1 cup organic steel-cut oats

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 cup 2% or whole milk

3 cups filtered water

1/4 tsp sea salt

5 whole cloves

5 leaves organic black kale (or 3 leaves green kale, ribs removed), washed and chopped well

1×1.5-inch piece ginger, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

dash salt

2 Tbsp filtered water

2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp butter, cold

4 slices fresh lemon

1 can sardines, drained (or tomato-chili sardines, or cod liver, or salmon)

In a medium-sized pot, combine milk and 3 cups water; heat over medium-high until simmering.  Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil until hot.  Cook cinnamon stick and cloves in oil until cinnamon uncurls; add oats and stir constantly until oats are toasted, golden and fragrant.  When milk mixture is simmering, add oats and cinnamon stick; stir to combine.  Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally to keep oats from sticking to pot, for thirty minutes.  Stir in 1/4 tsp salt.  Then, using the handle of a wooden spoon, stir oats consistently for seven to ten minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat.

While oats are cooking, wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.  Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add minced ginger and cook for 1 minute.  Add chopped kale, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and salt; sauté for 2-3 minutes or until kale is deeply green and wilted.  Place mixture into a bowl and keep in reserve.

Divide cooked oatmeal into four bowls; spoon ginger-kale mixture on top of hot oats, splitting evenly.

Return skillet to medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp water, whisking well to deglaze pan.  Whisk molasses, brown sugar and lemon juice into water and cook, whisking constantly, for 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and quickly whisk cold butter into the glaze.  Drizzle approximately 1 teaspoon of molasses syrup over kale and oats in an X pattern.

Return skillet, with any leftover molasses syrup, to medium heat; heat fish and lemon slices in molasses for 15-30 seconds on each side, coating the fish and lemon lightly with the syrup.  Lay fish and lemon slices on kale mixture* and serve immediately.

*If using cod liver, optionally drizzle any additional cod liver oil over the top for added nutrition.

Serves 4.

Author: meredithlmm

Entrepreneur • Writer • Poet • Lover of Great Wine, Food, Cocktails, & Brewed Beverages • My best friends are feline 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ View all posts by meredithlmm