This year, for the third annual Spar for the Spurtle United States Porridge Making Championship sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, I created a recipe for Salmon and Steel Cut Oat Chowder with Dill Crème Fraîche.

I was inspired to create this recipe after our trip to Ireland earlier this year. The Irish were perhaps the inventors of steel cut oat stew, and using oats in lieu of rice in soups gives the soup a slightly nutty flavor while also adding a healthy dose of fiber. While in Ireland, I ate a delicious seafood chowder and came up with the idea of creating a hybrid recipe of sorts. Add to that my love of French cuisine, and I couldn’t resist adding a dollop of crème fraîche.

In addition to the excellent nutritional profile of steel cut oats, the salmon adds a dose of essential Omega-3 fatty acids and the soup has loads of carrots and parsley to give it a healthy amount of vitamins and minerals.

Check out my video tutorial below.

Do you have an idea for a creative use of steel cut oats? There’s still time to enter this year’s Spar for the Spurtle competition for your chance to win $2,500 and a trip for two to Scotland. Simply design an original recipe utilizing Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats, create a video of no more than 3 minutes that explains how to make your recipe, upload it to YouTube, and complete the short entry form. Then, be sure to leave a comment to enter my Spar for the Spurtle giveaway, sponsored by the folks at Bob’s Red Mill. Four additional readers will each receive a prize pack that includes a package each of Steel Cut Oats, Scottish Oats, 7 Grain Pancake Mix and Buttermilk Pancake Mix.

This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States. The giveaway will end at 12 noon PDT on July 23 or when 5 entries have been received and verified, whichever comes first.