CHARLOTTE – With the frost on the lawn, the naked trees throughout the landscape and the Christmas holiday decorations all around- December is upon us! Cold days need a hot start, something that can provide a boost of energy, without a heavy afterburn.  A hearty breakfast, with whole oats and apples will warm the belly and energize the soul!  This recipe is best prepared the night prior, so the oats can truly soak in the ingredients.  Enjoy~

Oatmeal Pancakes with North Carolina Apple Compote (10-12 medium pancakes)

Prep Time: 25 Minutes | On the Table: 45 minutes  | Best made the night prior

Pancakes-

1 cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats  |  1 cup Whole Milk

2 Farm Eggs | 2 tablespoons Butter  | 1 tablespoon Sugar

2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour  |  2 teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Sea Salt  | ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon, ground

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground  | 1/8 teaspoon Allspice, ground  |  Canola Oil

 Apple Compote-

2 Local Honeycrisp or McIntosh Apples, peeled, cored and diced ½”

½ cup orange juice  |  1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

¼ cup dark brown sugar  |  pinch of Nutmeg  |  2 tablespoon Butter

Corn Starch to thicken  |  pinch of Sea Salt

Let’s start with the Pancake Batter:  Combine the rolled oats and milk together in a large bowl.  Stir well to ensure there are no dry areas of the oats.  Melt butter in a small, covered bowl in the microwave.  NOW, let the oat mixture stand for 10 minutes, so the oats may soften.   Once the 10 minutes have passed, scrape the butter into the oat mixture, add the eggs and sugar into the oat mixture.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices.  Fold the flour mixture into the wet oat mixture and combine well- DO NOT overmix.  Cover and let stand at room temperature.

For the Apple Compote:  In a saucepan, place 1 tablespoon of butter, the apples, pinch of salt and pinch of nutmeg over medium heat and sauté until you get the slightest bit of color on the edge of the apples.  Once this occurs, add in the brown sugar and cook for an additional minute.  At the 60 second mark- add in the lemon and orange juice.  Simmer on low for 5 minutes.  The mixture should slightly thicken- if too soupy, add 1 tablespoon of a slurry of corn starch. Finish with 1 tablespoon of cold butter, stirred into the compote.

Ready to Cook:  Heat a cast iron skillet or large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Coat with a small shine of canola oil and scoop a 2” round of batter onto the hot piece of metal.  The batter should spread to around 3”.  After small bubbles appear on top and around the edge of the pancake (about 60 seconds), flip and cook for an additional minute.  Pancakes should be a golden-brown color and should be fully cooked in the center.  For service, place 3 pancakes atop each other and spoon apple compote on top- for additional flavor, add fresh berries, maple syrup and clotted cream!  Share meals together, Food is Life, Food is Love!

Chef Glenn is a corporate chef based in Waxhaw- please send any feedback to  chefglenncolumnist@gmail.com