Bacon and Egg Fried Rice

I am always looking for something different for breakfast.  I enjoy the standard American fare, but I like to do something different just to make it interesting.  With the daily grind to the office, I usually do something quick or fast food.  But on the weekends, it's nice to do something different.  Fried rice is such a versatile dish.  You can make it with just about anything.  This is a breakfast fried rice.  I normally use garlic and ginger, but since this is breakfast, I thought I would forgo it this time.  Use any bacon you prefer.  I find applewood bacon is really good with this dish. 

Ingredients:

2 tbls canola or olive oil
4 Eggs (beaten)
6-8 slices of bacon  (cut into bitesize pieces)
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots (or peas only if preferred)
2 stalks of green onions (chopped)
3 cups cooked rice
3-4 tblsp light soy sauce
2 tblsp sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a wok or deep skillet.  On medium heat, add the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper.  Scramble the eggs until soft but not runny.  Remove the eggs from the skillet.  Increase the heat and add the bacon to the skillet and cook until brown and crisp.  Add the green onion and cook until heated through, approximately 1minute.  Add the green peas and carrots and continue stirring until heated through.  Add in the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring, breaking up the rice as you go.  When all the ingredients are incorporated, add soy sauce; continue stirring until soy sauce is well mixed and rice is well coated.  Drizzle the sesame oil and return the eggs into the skillet.  Continue cooking, breaking up the scrambled eggs so that it can be completed incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  If rice appears too light, add a little more of the soy sauce being careful not to add too much as this will make the dish very dark and salty.  Serve immediately with your favorite morning beverage.

Kedgeree

This is a classic English dish served during brunch that originated from India when it was under the British rule.  I've always been curious about this dish and even more so when I met Chef Darren McGrady. When Darren published his cookbook "Eating Royally", I figured I had to try it.  Once I had his, I had to make it my own. So, here is "my" version of the Kedgeree. Thanks Darren for inspiring me.

Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
4 cups water
2-3 strands of saffron thread
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1 1/2 tblsp curry powder
4 had boiled eggs (peeled and quartered)
2 stalks green onions (finely chopped)
1 1/2 lbs of  salmon or smoked haddock or, mackrel (flaked)
2 handfuls of cilantro or parsley (roughly chopped)
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Poaching Liquid for salmon:
1 bay leaf
1/2 lemon (sliced thinly)
5-6 whole pepper corns
enough water to cover salmon

If cooking rice in a rice cooker, place rice, water and saffron threads into rice cooker  and follow recommended cooking method. If not, place rice, 4 cups of water and saffron threads in a large pot and allow to boil. Cook until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.  Reduce to low and cover and allow to steam for 15 minutes.  In a large separate sauce pan, combine heavy cream, curry and cayenne pepper, whisk until blended.  Allow the cream mixture to simmer until slightly thickened.  Add the rice and green onions, stirring constantly until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add flaked fish and continue to stir gently so as not to break up the fish.  Top with the hard boiled eggs and cilantro or parsley.  Serve while warm.

Poaching Salmon:

In a deep pan, add enough water to barely cover salmon, lemon and bayleaf.  When water starts to simmer, add the salmon. swirl water and pour over salmon.  Continue until salmon is cooked through and is a very light pink.  Remove from the poaching liquid.  Allow to cool slightly before flaking the meat.

P.S. Darren's website is - www.theroyalchef.com.  Check it out.

Fried Rice with Chorizo and Eggs

This is a classic breakfast from the Philippines.  It is a filling and hearty meal to start out the day.  The chorizo used is the Spanish version (very different from the Mexican Chorizo; they don't come close) or longaniza (Philippine sweet sausage).  This is great for using up leftover rice.  We occasionally do this for breakfast on the weekends. It is a great comfort food.  Many serve it with coconut vinegar and patis (fish sauce) to dip the chorizo in.  Note: Fish sauce can be purchased at your local Asian grocery store.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups leftover cooked rice

3-5 tblsp canola or olive oil

3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

2 small chorizo or longaniza (cut diagonally)

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

coconut vinegar and patis (fish sauce) for dipping.

Heat the 2-3 tblsp of oil in a deep non-stick skillet.  Add onion and garlic; cook stirring occasionally until onion and garlic are brown (do not burn).  Add the rice, breaking up the lumps.  Stir-fry until the garlic and onions are incorporated and the rice is heated through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate frying pan or wok, add 1 tblsp of oil and fry the chorizo/sausages until lightly crisp on both sides.  Remove from pan and allow to drain on paper towel.

In another pan, heat the remaining oil and fry the eggs.  Fry either sunny side up or over easy (turning the eggs over carefully without breaking the yolk). Cook eggs to preferred doneness.  Season eggs with salt and pepper.

Spoon rice into a small bowl and pack lightly, turn bowl over on a plate to create a small mound of rice.  Arrange chorizo/sausage around the rice.  Top the rice with an egg.  Serve with coconut vinegar and patis for dipping the chorizo/sausage.