Rude Health Porridge Championships 2013

Nick Barnard, aka Speciality WORLD Porridge Champion, brings the competition home and hosts Rude Health’s London Porridge Championship

Come the end of November, you know you’re in Rude Health when your mind is on porridge, not pumpkin pies. The Rude Health Porridge Championship was held in London on the 29^th November in partnership with Trekstock, a charity dedicated to supporting young people with cancer. Crowds and competitors gathered early morning in SW. Hunger levels were high, and the atmosphere was tense - The 'Hungry Games' had commenced.

It seemed appropriate for World Speciality Porridge Winner, and co-founder of Rude Health, Nick Barnard, to judge the porridge-off. The 9 competitors drew their inspiration from dishes such as Coffee and Walnut Cake, Mince Pies, Fuel for an Early Winter’s Run, Tea and Italian desserts. Nick was blown away by the standard of porridge on the day. Each contestant had 30 minutes to produce three portions of porridge. Nick judged each dish on taste, innovation and presentation. And, we’ll be damned; the first Rude Health London Porridge Championship was…a draw! 

Signe Johansen, food writer and Scandilicious cook, and Christina Franco, Arctic Explorer, were crowned joint Rude Health Porridge Champions. Signe created a sweet 5 Coconut Oatmeal, and Christina a savoury Bacon & Egg Mixed Grain Porridge, gaining them both a 52/60 score from the judge.

“We love coconut in Scandinavia. My 5 Coconut Oatmeal is a dairy-free version of classic oatmeal porridge that is full of flavour and contrasting textures. “  Signe Johansen - Scandilicious

“My Bacon and Egg Savoury Porridge draws on my expedition breakfasts where I try to incorporate an entire breakfast and full nutrition in one pot.” Christina Franco – Arctic Explorer  

What set these dishes apart from the rest? “They had a sensational combination of ingredient quality, innovation, presentation, nutritional excellence and taste. In other words - yummy and sustaining. 

Sig's stood out because the base of Rude Health Oatmeal was particularly creamy and the subtle coconut flavours throughout all the components of her porridge were very more-ish and not overly sweet.  

Christina's was, in complete contrast, a savoury recipe and stood out because of the quality of the ingredients and the balance of flavours. It was a nutritionally dense breakfast that would sustain you all morning and taste fantastic to match. The two were delicious extremes." (Nick Barnard)

The day was enormous fun and a huge success, Time Out and The Evening Standard thought so too. The competitors created an oat-standing collection of recipes. In fact, we’re so darn proud of them, you can find them all here on our website rudehealth.com/recipes/porridge/.

A big big thank you to all the competitors, you were all truly scrumptious!

Mince Pie Porridge by Alice Smith -Trekstock

Captain Black's Spiced Oats by Ben Black and Justin Jeffries – My Family Care and Tinies

Chai Spiced Porridge by Hayley - Teapigs

Tiramisu Porridge by Ben Martin - Giraffe

Coffee, Walnut and Banana Porridge by Tristan Plowman – Looking to Cook

Almond, Pear & Fig Porridge by Phil Mundy – Healthy Food Guide

Berrylicious Porridge by Sadie Macleod – Hip and Healthy

Until next year, 

All of us In Rude Health

Wholegrains - the whole story

When I was young, no one sold breakfast cereals by talking about grains. They talked about taste (sweetness), about exciting new shapes, about nutritional fortification, and also drove children to a frenzy collecting useless trinkets inside their favourite cereal boxes.

After the Smurfs and hero figures, came the next great marketing idea – wholegrain. This genius description was in part derived from the medically endorsed advice to increase fibre intake, which captured the imagination of the bowel movement obsessed middle classes. My father was either so afraid of or so enraptured by this craze that he used to sprinkle bran onto almost everything he ate.

Where did this word come from? What does it mean? At a food show not so long ago I met a very self satisfied marketing man who professed to have invented the introduction of the term ‘wholegrain’. Older and wiser, I held myself back from physical violence, and sated my frustration with a rant, which is much more entertaining.

Wholegrain. It’s a catch all feel good title that allows big and not so big food to create an umbrella of wholesomeness for all their cereal based foods, no matter how refined, sweetened and processed they are. When it says wholegrain that means the whole grain is in it, right? Well yes…that’s what they started with. And in theory as long as they don’t discard any of the grain, then they can sustain the claim on the pack. What they don’t talk about is what they subject the wholegrain to in order to make their biscuits of wheat, their pillows of oats, their big bran flakes and their bizarrely perfect shaped corn flakes.

Strangely enough loops, pillows and massive flakes are not natural, and cannot be produced by simply pressing a grain between rollers…you make these unnatural shapes with an extruder. An extruder is a fearsome machine – very big, very complex and very heavy duty – as in one end you feed in a mush of refined (ground up) (whole)grains or mix of refined (whole)grains and other ingredients which is then rammed into a shaping chamber under immense pressure (which generates fierce heat, destroying nutrients), before being released to atmosphere through a shaping die, when it is then miraculously  transformed into a supersize flake or pillow, or loop. If you are very clever you can also squirt a mush of refined milk solids flavoured with cocoa and some hazelnut flavour (and more sugar) inside a pillow and hey presto, you’ve just made a best selling wholegrain cereal. Ah, did I forget? You can then take these extruded wholegrain shapes and tumble them inside a big stainless steel drum, spraying them with sugars and flavours so you get a flavoursome wholegrain bite with every mouthful.

Industrial wholegrain. How do you like it? I don’t, and here at Rude Health we have no intention of spoiling the natural energy and nutrients inside the wholegrain with such invasive processes. We will not use extrusion or highly refined ingredients. Take our Spelt Flakes for instance. One spelt grain equals one flake. All we do is steam, roll and dry the spelt grains. The Oatmeal? Stabilise (steam) the oat grain, and then cut it with stainless steel blades/crush it a little in a roller. You could make these foods in your kitchen. Simple. In this way all our grains are truly wholegrain.

Nick Barnard's triumph at the World Porridge Championships.

Bright and early on Friday morning, we set off on our way to Carrbridge, Scotland for The Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championships. It was our 5th year entering the competition and this time three of us were competing. Nick, Alex and I had been practising our spurtle stirring, oat soaking and recipe devising, and were hopeful that one of us might return a champion. 

After a long journey up through the beautiful Scottish highlands, we arrived in time for drinks in the Village Hall with our fellow competitors. It was a great evening, chatting to porridge enthusiasts from Scotland, England, Sweden and even the US. We also met Neal Robertson, inventor of the spon and previous world porridge champion. After eyeing up the competition, we made our way back to The Old School, Carrbridge where we stayed for the weekend, for the all-important oatmeal soaking and some rest before the big day ahead.

On Saturday morning, the porridge championships kick-off with a procession led by bagpipers, the competitors then each have a wee shot of whisky and the competition begins. Nick was up first in round one.

Nick's speciality recipe was Fruity Date porridge, made using Scottish porridge oats and oatmeal, ground dried apple, chopped dried apple, chopped dates and apricots, and a pinch of cinnamon, slowly cooked with milk, to release and caramelise the fruit flavours. When served, the porridge is then generously covered with Hurdlebrook Guernsey cream, dotted with more dried dates, apple and apricots, and the final touch is a sprinkle of Tiana coconut flower nectar. Yum.

Alex and I were in the third and final round. Alex's speciality was a delicious porridge infused with orange and cardamom, and served with pistachios. For my speciality, I made oatmeal Ebelskivers filled with whisky marmalade. Ebelskivers are mini Dutch pancakes, that I gave a Scottish twist by swapping wheat flour for oatmeal and oat flour. 

Nick's delicious and creamy oatmeal, made with Rude Health The Oatmeal, Highland Spring Still water and Halen Môn Sea Salt, got through to the final round. After the final round, the winners were announced and the Golden Spurtle was awarded to third time porridge champion, John Boa. John made a deliciously creamy oatmeal and was delighted to re-gain the World Porridge Champion title this year. 

We are delighted to announce that the prestigious title of 'Speciality World Porridge Champion' was awarded to Nick Barnard, co-founder and MD of Rude Health, for his Fruity Date Porridge recipe. 

Nick beat off stiff competition from a record number of international porridge enthusiasts and won over the taste buds of the panel of judges which included BAFTA winning TV presenter Cameron McNeish, George McIvor of the Master Chefs of Great Britain and Neil Mugg, Gleneagles Hotel Head Pastry Chef.

A delighted Nick said, "It's the third time I have entered, and I'm absolutely delighted that it's third time lucky. Rude Health is all about making tasty, healthy food that sustains you. This recipe is both very delicious and very moreish, and I'm absolutely thrilled that the judges enjoyed it so much."

Abergavenny Food Festival: Sunday line up revealed...

We've wet your appetite with the line up for Saturday's Rude Health Rants, now for the eagerly anticipated Sunday line up. 

Taking place at Abergavenny Food Festival on Sunday at 1-2.30pm in The Castle area, come along to be shocked, inspired and entertained by celebrated chefs, passionate producers and fearsome food writers, as they voice their foodie passions...

Abergavenny Food Festival: Saturday's Ranters Revealed...

The Rude Health Rants have returned for the 5th year running, exclusively to Abergavenny Food Festival.

On Saturday 21st from 1 - 2pm and 3 - 4pm and Sunday 22nd from 1 - 2.30pm in The Castle area, 

ranters will step up to the mic for a bit of free therapy in the form of a rant, about any food related issue on their minds. Come along to witness, heckle and if you've got a burning rant - participate!

Here's our line-up for Saturday, pretty darn good if we do say so ourselves:

Watch previous years Rude Health Rants - including ones by Reggae-Reggae Sauce creator Levi Roots, author of Everybody Everday Alex Mackay, master Chocolatier Marc Demarquette and Guy Watson from Riverford Organic at www.rudehealth.com/rants.

Ode to Thins

The Rude Health Thins are great for dunking in hummus, slathering with peanut butter or snaffling bare naked, straight from the pack. But the fun doesn't have to stop there. At Rude Health HQ the Thins have provided an accompaniment to numerous lunches and it's fair to say, we're hooked. Paired with chunks of soft avocado,  smoked makerel pate, leftover curries and hearty soups or just when you need a little something extra.

To show just how versatile these tasty little Thins can be, I decided to share with you my top five Thins-inspired recipes...

1. Thins with Goats Cheese & Piccalilli

Veg, No Nuts, Wheat Free, Gluten Free

60 mins plus overnight prep.

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 Courgettes, diced

1 Carrot, diced

1 handful of small silver-skinned onions, peeled and halved

1 handful of Green beans, cut into short lengths

(adjust veg quantities to your liking)

2 handfuls of Sea salt

3 heaped tablespoons flour

1 tbsp turmeric

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp English mustard powder

400 ml cider vinegar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp mustard seeds

Rude Health Multigrain Thins 

Method

1. Place all the vegetables in a bowl, add the salt and cover with water. Leave overnight, covered with a plate.

2. Heat a saucepan big enough for all the veg and add a splash of oil. Fry the mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, ginger for half a minute.

3. Reduce the heat and add the mustard powder, flour and a splash of vinegar and stir into a paste. Add the sugar, then gradually add the remaining vinegar and 100ml water, stirring into a smooth paste and simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Drain the vegetables and rinse with cold water. Carefully stir the vegetables into the spicy sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into sterilised jars and seal the lids tightly. Leave for at least two weeks before opening.

6. Serve with a slab of Goats Cheese, piled on Rude Health Multigrain Thins.

2. Oaty Thins with Cream Cheese & Salsa

Veg, No Nuts

15 mins

Ingredients

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp jalapeño peppers from a jar, drained and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped

1 lime

Rude Health Oaty Thins

Method

1. Stir all the ingredients together in a medium bowl with some seasoning.

2. Serve at room temperature with Rude Health Oaty Thins.

3. Corn Thins with Guacamole and Salsa

Veg, Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Gluten Free

10 mins

Ingredients

1 Large tomato

3 Ripe avocados

1 Lime

Handful of chopped coriander

1 Small red onion, finely chopped

1 Red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

Rude Health Corn Thins 

Method

1. Use a large knife to pulverise the tomato to a pulp on a board, then tip into a bowl. Halve and stone the avocados and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the tomato.

2. Tip all the other ingredients into the bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Use a whisk to roughly mash everything together. Scatter with the coriander and then serve with Rude Health Corn Thins.

4. Rice Thins with Honey Spiced Figs and Greek Yoghurt

Veg, No Nuts, Wheat Free, Gluten Free

15 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp Honey

4 Figs, quartered

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ginger

150g Greek Yoghurt

Rude Health Rice Thins 

Method

1. Pour the honey and  spices and figs into a small bowl and sit over a pan of simmering water over. Stir to blend the spices and heat for 1-2 minutes until honey is warm and syrupy. 

2. Top the Rice Thins with a dollop of greek yoghurt, figs and a drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

5. Multigrain Thins with grilled Halloumi, Aubergine and Pepper.

Veg, No Nuts, Wheat Free, Gluten Free

15 mins 

Ingredients

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/2 Aubergine cut into round slices

1 Pepper, cut into strips

1 block Halloumi, cut into thick slices

Pinch of sea salt
Rude Health Multigrain Thins

Method

1. Add a dash of olive oil to a non stick frying pan and gently fry the pepper strips for 5-10 minutes. In a large bowl toss the aubergines in olive oil, sea salt and a little water. 

2. Add the aubergine rounds to a large  pan and fry until golden brown on either side. Set aside on a plate and cover with kitchen towel.

3. Add a dash of oil to the large pan and arrange the halloumi slices in the pan. Fry for around 30 seconds on either side or until they start to turn golden brown.

4. Arrange the peppers, aubergine and halloumi in stacks on Multigrain thins and enjoy!

Feeling Thins-inspired? Got some recipes you would like to share? Send them to us on FB, Twitter or to hello@rudehealth.com for your chance to feature on our new recipe page.

Until next time...