# Cold Gruel



## TomW (Sep 6, 2007)

When my seven-year old badgers me about what I'm making for dinner, I always reply with some line that focuses on "Cold gruel; I'll warm it up *if* you start smiling!".  He always laughs in the most pleasing way, and dares me to make gruel because he does not believe the dish exists.

So I found some recipes:
Gruel / recipes / cooking /

Problem is they all sound too appealing _to me_.   Does anyone have a recipe for a bowl of something that Oliver Twist may have suffered through?

Thanks,
Tom


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## Andy M. (Sep 6, 2007)

I'd go with plain unflavored oatmeal that you've cooked then cooled.


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## bowlingshirt (Sep 6, 2007)

Andy M. said:


> I'd go with plain unflavored oatmeal that you've cooked then cooled.


 
...then add a splash of vinegar for shiggles


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## Caine (Sep 6, 2007)

Andy M. said:


> I'd go with plain unflavored oatmeal that you've cooked then cooled.


 
Make that OVERcooked. In order to be gruel, it has to be cooked beyond your average porridge.


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## Cordel (Dec 2, 2007)

Don't put any salt in, and start with too little water.  Once is is cooked and lumpy, you can add more water, but don't stir too much or it will get smooth.  Be sure it is cold by the time you serve it.  That is what my father used to do, when he made the porridge, and it was truly gross.


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## college_cook (Dec 2, 2007)

Yeah, stewed grain doesn't sound all that appealing to me Tom, but whatever floats your boat!  To make the thing completely flavorless I'd make sure use filtered water, which always tastes strange and totally flavorless to me.  Almost oddly sterile, like the way a hospital smells.

I'll bet plain brown rice would make for some pretty great (or terrible, depending on how you look at it) gruel.  Just cook the heck out of it.


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## Bilby (Dec 3, 2007)

Wasn't Oliver Twist's gruel meant to be cold, grey, lumpy and runny? I'd also use some green food colouring in light drops to make it look like it's been in the back of the fridge for too long! But then I'm mean!!!LOL


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## TomW (Dec 31, 2007)

*If at first, you don't succeed...*



Andy M. said:


> I'd go with plain unflavored oatmeal that you've cooked then cooled.


Well, that's what I did; even added a little bit of green food coloring to make it extra-special.   While my seven-year old did taste it, he didn't gag. 

Oldcoot's fried mush was also a side item, and both boys ate more of that than I was expecting. (2 X )



There's another thread going on right now about tenderizing gizzards.  I believe I may torture the Boyz with that next... 

Tom


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