Equipment
Ingredients
Oat Groats
- 200 g oat groats, rinsed
- 700 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 3 g kosher salt
Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted and warm, not bubbling hot
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml water
Seasoning & Garnish
- 1 lemon, zested
- 5 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 3 g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 282 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 854 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 197 mg
- Potassium
- 141 mg
- Calcium
- 108 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Phosphorus
- 63 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 289 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 190 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the rinsed oat groats, vegetable broth, and kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the groats are tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 45 minutes.
While the oats cook, chop the fresh chives and tarragon, and zest the lemon using a microplane. Set aside.
Set up a double boiler by adding 2 inches of water to a small saucepan and bringing it to a gentle simmer around 85°C/185°F. Place a heatproof bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Add the egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, and water to the heatproof bowl. Whisk vigorously and continuously until the mixture turns pale, thickens, and doubles in volume.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Slowly stream in the warm melted butter, drop by drop at first, whisking constantly to form a thick, smooth, and emulsified hollandaise sauce.
Once the oat groats have finished cooking, remove from heat. Stir in the chopped chives, tarragon, lemon zest, and black pepper until evenly distributed.
Add half of the hollandaise sauce directly to the warm oat groats, folding gently so the oats become creamy and enriched without breaking the sauce.
Divide the enriched savory oat groats among four warmed serving bowls. Spoon the remaining hollandaise over the top of each portion and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Unlike rolled oats, whole oat groats maintain their structure and offer a fantastic, caviar-like pop when cooked, making them a superb vehicle for rich sauces.
- For the most stable hollandaise, ensure your melted butter is warm but not hot. Too hot, and it will cook the eggs; too cold, and the fat will solidify and break the emulsion.
- Tarragon has a strong anise flavor that pairs beautifully with lemon and egg, but can be overpowering. Start with the suggested amount and adjust to your personal preference.
- If you want to reduce the morning active time, you can soak the oat groats overnight in the measured broth in the refrigerator. This will reduce your simmering time by about 15 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Oat groats store well, but the hollandaise sauce may split upon reheating. Store components separately if possible.
Reheating: Reheat oats gently on the stove with a splash of broth. Warm hollandaise over a tepid water bath while whisking constantly.
Troubleshooting
Hollandaise sauce splits or looks greasy and curdled
Cause: Butter was added too quickly or the egg yolks got too hot and began to scramble
Fix: Place a splash of boiling water or a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl. Slowly whisk the broken hollandaise into the new bowl drop by drop to re-emulsify
Prevention: Drizzle butter in very slowly while whisking constantly, and ensure the double boiler water is barely simmering, not boiling
Oat groats are still hard after 45 minutes
Cause: The cooking liquid evaporated too quickly due to high heat, or the groats are older
Fix: Add 120ml of warm water or broth, stir, cover, and continue simmering for another 15 minutes
Prevention: Ensure the heat is at the lowest setting to maintain a gentle simmer and keep the lid on tightly
Cultural Context
While oats are traditionally associated with sweet porridge in many Western cultures, savory preparations mirror ancient global traditions like Asian congee or Italian risotto. This dish marries the rustic, hearty texture of whole grain oat groats with the refined elegance of classical French hollandaise.
