Professional chefs know it, and now you do too: Nothing saves those sad, wilted veggies at the bottom of your crisper like fried rice. (One of our editors always orders an extra carton of rice with her Chinese food so she can do this with it a day or two later.) And while we can’t send you fortune cookies with this recipe, we’re pretty sure that: “Good news will be brought to you by mail.” “You are next in line for a promotion in your firm.” “Your first love has never forgotten you.”
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 to 8 slices bacon (about half of a 12-ounce package)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ jalapeño pepper, minced and seeded (it’s hotter with seeds)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- At least 3 of any of the following veggies that you have in the refrigerator or freezer (any combo will do, and the more the better):
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- ¾ cup sliced mushrooms
- ¾ cup diced asparagus
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup bean sprouts
- ¾ cup snap peas
- ¾ cup snow peas
- ¾ cup broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 cup chopped Swiss chard leaves and stalks
- 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or more, to taste)
- Sriracha or any other hot sauce, to taste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the bacon on the prepared sheet and roast on the middle or lower rack for about 12 minutes, until browned and crisp. Let cool, then crumble into bite-size bits.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet (the largest one you have), heat the butter over moderate heat until it begins to foam, about 1 minute. Pour in the eggs; turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring often, until just scrambled, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and break up into small pieces.
- In the same skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the garlic, jalapeño, onion, ginger, and any combination of veggies and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the bacon, eggs, rice, and soy sauce, and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice absorbs the soy sauce and the mixture is heated through. Add more soy sauce to taste. Mix in ¼ to ½ teaspoon Sriracha, if using, or more if you like it spicy. Spoon the rice onto plates and serve.
