Zucchini and Miso Porridge

I have been wanting to try this combination for a while, friends. Savoury porridge. Do stick with me on this one. Even my Asian flavours-loving husband took some convincing. But he's on board now, full of admiration for this humble little bowl of unexpected, exciting and entirely comforting, flavours.

This recipe is very loosely adapted from Heidi Swanson's Miso Oat Porridge, a recipe I had been dreaming about for some time. Today was the perfect morning to try it out. I've been running some workshops on Tuesday nights, which require an early and often rushed dinner, leaving me awake and ravenous soon after 6 on Wednesdays. Before Ben left for meetings and I prepared for my day, I scooted out of bed, whipped up this zucchini and miso porridge and then hopped online to share it with you all.

The zucchini addition was encouraged via a surplus of green beauties from Transition Farm, where I've been farming one day a week. Grating some into this porridge was a natural progression in my discovery of new ways to include these green goddesses in my diet. A fried egg with a runny yolk was an obligatory addition, though next time I would feel equally obliged to top our bowls with some toasted walnuts. In fact, I just re-read Heidi's recipe and she did indeed call for toasted walnuts. We must have a strong culinary/name connection. Oh man, now I just sound creepy. Anyway, Ben felt some crumbled seaweed would be a lovely addition also and I cannot disagree.

Zucchini and Miso Porridge

Recipe very loosely adapted from Heidi Swanson's (101 Cookbooks) Miso Oat Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients
10 g Unsalted Butter
1 cup Rolled Oats
1 small Zucchini, grated
1 & 1/3 cups Water
2 teaspoons Miso Paste (or more, to taste)
2 Eggs
1 Radish, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped Parsley or Coriander
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Optional toppings: toasted walnuts, dried seaweed, spring onion or chives.

Method
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the oats and cook for a couple of minutes until toasty.
2. Add the water and zucchini and cook for ~5 minutes until the water is absorbed and the oats plump up. Add more water if desired.
3. Meanwhile, fry your eggs in a non-stick pan. Crack the egg onto a hot pan and cook for a few minutes until the white is cooked but the yolk is still runny. You might like to use a lid to cover the pan for a minute or so. This will help steam the egg and ensure the yolk partially cooks without needing to flip your egg or dry it out.
4. Add the miso paste a teaspoon at a time to the porridge, stir to combine and taste, then add more if you want a stronger flavour.
5. Serve the porridge in bowls, topped with a fried egg, sliced radish, chopped herbs and freshly cracked black pepper.

Heidi xo