Vegetable Fried Rice with Eggs

I was recently in Hawaii and was so delighted every morning to have rice with my eggs in the morning. Not a totally unusual combination, but I was obsessed. So I tried to replicate a version of what I ate at home. What came out is a delicious, veggie-laden, fried rice made with bacon. This is just a new spin on your average bacon and eggs. I served it for dinner and I will absolutely be making this again and again.

Bacon Fried Rice with Fried Eggs

serves 4

1 cup long grain white rice

6 slices of good quality bacon diced (If on the thin side, use a couple extra)

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 large onion, diced

2 large leeks, cleaned well and diced ( just use the light green of the leek)

3/4 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery

3/4 cup roughly chopped mushrooms (I used baby bellas, but any would work)

1/2 cup bamboo shoots roughly chopped

1/2 cup of water chestnuts roughly chopped

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar unseasoned

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

8 eggs

Cook rice according to package.

Meanwhile, in a wok or large pan cook the bacon over medium heat until just browned and crispy. Turn off the heat and remove bacon quickly to a paper toweled lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Once pan is very hot, carefully add the ginger, onion, leek, carrot, celery and mushrooms. Stir to coat vegetables in fat and combine. Allow to cook until vegetables are tender, but not burnt, about 10 minutes. (If you feel like your pan is way too hot, turn it down and continue to cook) Add the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, stir to combine and allow to heat through, about 1 minute.

Add the rice wine vinegar slowly all over the pan to deglaze. With a wooden spoon, scrap the bottom of the pan to incorporate all of the browned bits into the vegetable mixture. Add the soy and stir to combine. Add the cooked rice and bacon. Continue to stir and cook the rice with the vegetables for 2 minutes until combined and delicious. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and cover.

Over a very low flame, using a large pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, crack the eggs carefully into the pan allowing enough room to flip over. Once the egg whites are opaque and almost cooked through, carefully flip them making sure not to break the yolk (although that happens all the time!). Cook on the other side for just a few minutes until egg whites have set. Immediately spoon a heaping portion of rice on a warmed plate and serve with two eggs on top. Top with some fresh ground pepper and serve immediately.

Yum, I want this again right now! You can add whatever vegetables you would like to this recipe. I also did not add any heat, but you could do so when you add the soy. This would also be a great side for any Asian inspired dinner. Forget the eggs and serve with a soy and ginger marinated steak or chicken breast!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin