brown butter pear porridge

Oats cooked low and slow until thick and creamy, pears roasted in nutty brown butter, cardamom and honey, a spoon of Greek yoghurt and Collagen Crumb on top. Porridge, done properly, with 25.3g of protein per person.

Some mornings call for a quick bowl of oats. This isn't one of them. For World Porridge Day I wanted to do it properly: oats cooked low and slow, stirred every so often until they turn thick, creamy and almost silky, the way porridge is meant to be.

While they bubble away, pears go into a pan of foaming brown butter with a few crushed cardamom pods and a spoon of honey, then into the oven until they're soft, golden and sticky at the edges. Brown butter is one of those little chef's tricks that makes everything taste better. It turns nutty and toasty, almost like caramel, and with the warm, slightly citrusy cardamom your kitchen will smell incredible.

Finish with a cool spoon of Greek yoghurt, pour over the pan juices, and add the Collagen Crumb last, so the dark chocolate just starts to melt into the warm oats. It's the kind of breakfast that makes you slow down and actually enjoy your morning.

Serves 2 | about 30 minutes

per person = 552 cals / 76g carbs / 17.1g fat / 25.3g protein

for the porridge

• 80g porridge oats
• 300ml milk
• 200ml water
• A small pinch of salt

for the brown butter cardamom pears

• 2 ripe but firm pears (Conference work beautifully)
• 15g butter
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (or a good pinch of ground cardamom)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• A squeeze of lemon juice

to serve

• 120g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
• 60g oac Collagen Crumb

method: the pears

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).
2. Halve the pears lengthways and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon. Leave the skins on, they hold their shape better and look lovely.
3. Melt the butter in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and keep swirling the pan. It will foam, then the foam will settle, little golden brown flecks will appear at the bottom and it will smell nutty and toasty. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, as it goes from brown to burnt quickly.
4. Add the crushed cardamom pods and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, then stir in the honey.
5. Place the pears cut side down in the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to turn golden underneath.
6. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pears are tender all the way through when you poke them with a knife. Baste them with the pan juices halfway through.
7. Take out of the oven, add a squeeze of lemon to the pan juices and stir. Pick out the cardamom pods before serving.

rather not use the oven? Pop a lid on the pan after step 5 and cook on a low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the pears halfway, until soft.

method: the porridge

1. While the pears roast, put the oats, milk, water and salt in a heavy based saucepan. If you have time, let them sit for 10 minutes before you start. The oats soften and you get an even creamier porridge.
2. Bring slowly up to a gentle bubble over a medium-low heat, stirring now and then.
3. Turn the heat right down to its lowest setting and let it cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't catch on the bottom. A wooden spoon is perfect, or a spurtle if you're doing it the traditional way.
4. It's ready when it's thick, creamy and the oats are completely soft. Add a splash more milk or water if it gets too thick. Porridge firms up as it sits, so keep it a little looser than you think.

to serve

1. Spoon the porridge into two warm bowls.
2. Add two pear halves to each bowl and spoon over the brown butter cardamom juices from the pan.
3. Add a spoon of Greek yoghurt to each bowl.
4. Finish with 30g of Collagen Crumb each (that's 8g of protein from the crumb alone), scattered over just before you eat so it keeps its texture and the chocolate starts to melt into the oats. Enjoy!

ways to enjoy

• With a drizzle of extra honey for a sweeter weekend treat
• Swap the pears for apples, plums or blackberries as the seasons change
• With a pinch of cinnamon or a grating of nutmeg stirred through the oats
• Roast a double batch of pears and keep them in the fridge for quick breakfasts during the week. They're also gorgeous over yoghurt or on toast
• Make it with oat milk if you prefer, or use all milk for an extra creamy bowl

kitchen tips

• low and slow: rushing porridge on a high heat makes it gluey and it catches on the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat gentle and give it time.
• the brown butter: it's all about watching and smelling. Once you see golden flecks and smell that toasty, nutty aroma, add the cardamom straight away to stop it cooking further.
• the cardamom: crush the pods with the flat of a heavy knife/jar or the back of a spoon to release the seeds and their flavour.
• Choose pears that are ripe but still firm. Very soft pears will fall apart in the oven.
• Add the Collagen Crumb last, just before eating, so it keeps its texture.
• Contains milk and nuts (hazelnuts in the Collagen Crumb). Check the labels on your oats and Collagen Crumb for full allergen information.

Let me know how you get on, and tag us if you make it!