Featured in several of James Joyce’s works, the stirabout is a delicious Irish breakfast. Checking out the ingredient list, it’s hard to understand why Stephen Dedalus was so mopey. We can only guess that he didn’t add enough cream & brandy to his bowl.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Irish steel cut oats
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey or brandy
- 1 cup raisins
- 8 Tbsp cream
- 4 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup fresh berries
METHOD
- The night before, boil two cups of water and salt, add oatmeal, stir and turn off the heat.
- Cover the pot and leave overnight.
- In a second pan, bring corn syrup and brandy to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add raisins and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.
- Cover and set-aside until morning.
- The next morning, bring oats to a brisk boil and cook until they are just tender.
- Meanwhile, place 2 Tbsp of cream, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp butter, and 1 Tbsp drained raisins in each bowl.
- Add hot cooked oats and top with fresh berries.
Serve, allowing each person to unveil the tasty surprise awaiting below.