Recipe: Quick Breakfast Fried Rice with Variations (using brown rice, bacon and eggs)

QUICK BREAKFAST FRIED RICE



"If you're not accustomed to eating fried rice for breakfast, we obviously didn't live in the same college dorm. I love this grown-up version because there are still those mornings when you stare into the refrigerator and have difficulty imagining how all the little bowls of leftovers might somehow come together into a meal. Breakfast rice is almost always the answer. All you need: leftover rice, a few eggs, a little bacon if you'd like, and a couple of green onions. Ginger, lemon, and parsley complete this most crave-worthy morning meal."

4 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided use
3 green onions, white and light green parts, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large eggs
3 cups day-old cooked long-grain brown rice, at room temperature*
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Kosher salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
1⁄3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Drain the bacon drippings from the skillet. Place the skillet back on stove over medium heat and pour in 3 tablespoons of the sesame oil. Add the green onions and garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Decrease the heat to low, break the eggs directly into the skillet, and scramble them.

Add the rice, bacon, ginger, remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and lemon zest. Stir to combine and cook until warmed throughout. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Stir in the parsley at the very end.

Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.

*While I prefer slightly fragrant and nutritious long-grain brown rice, use any leftover rice you have on hand - or really, any leftover grains at all.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN:
If I have leftover chicken or pulled pork, I often omit the bacon and stir bits of that in toward the end. Alternatively, make this a vegetarian recipe by omitting the bacon altogether. If you'd like to dress it up a bit, fold in a few diced sauteed vegetables like squash, zucchini, or carrots and top with a dash of hot sauce - if that's your kind of thing.

Makes 4 servings
Used with permission to Recipelink.com from Ten Speed Press
Adapted from source: Whole-Grain Mornings by Megan Gordon