Rye Bread and Beer Porridge (Øllebrød)

Author Notes

Filling, warm, different and adaptable! I discovered this porridge on a recent trip to Copenhagen and was hooked.

The porridge could keep and be reheated for at least a day or two in the refrigerator, so you can make a larger batch if you want to have extra (cold or warmed) for more days. If reheating, add a bit of water beforehand so it doesn't stick to the pot and reheat on low.

To make this more holiday-y you could add nutmeg or 1/4 cup pumpkin puree or applesauce to the pot. —Sharon Brenner

Test Kitchen Notes

If you want to steer breakfast conversation away from politics, this innocuous looking porridge will do the trick. Unabashedly tangy and bitter, with the taste of rye and malt intensified by orange and cinnamon, it was the most surprising breakfast dish I’ve eaten this year.

You’re likely to get polarized reactions; more dubious guests could mute the tanginess with extra milk, or sweeten it with fruit or honey. I used a very malty black Porter; a milder beer would yield less intense results. It’s an easy, quick recipe and the ambiguities (e.g. what kind of rye bread) reflect its adaptability. —Elizabeth