Passport for Your Palate-“Garbage” Fried Rice

Fried rice has to be one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is perfect to use leftovers, especially after large holiday meals. I always whip up a batch around then, but it works so well anytime you have foods to use up from your refrigerator, thus the name “Garbage” Fried Rice.  

While my standard fried rice always has bacon, egg, green onion, and typically peas and carrots, you will find almost any protein or combination of vegetables in it at any given sitting. I do a lot of meal planning, so I throw this recipe in near the end of the week to use up any remaining items in the fridge. 

“Garbage” Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice
• 4 cups water
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 eggs
• vegetable oil, if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger. You can substitute powdered ginger. Only use about a 1/4 tsp if using powdered. 
• 8 green onion or about 1/2 regular onion
• Veggies, chopped into small bite-size pieces. The photo has carrots, celery, cauliflower, and peppers. 
• 8-16 ounces protein, again whatever your leftover meat is. In the image, I used chicken.
• 1/4 cup soy sauce. I eyeball this based on the color the rice turns. 

Instructions:

1. Cook rice in the steamer. Typically the rice will be one cup dry to two cups of water placed in the steamer. 
2. Cook the bacon in a wok or large skillet. Stirring often and until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve drippings from wok.
3. Whisk the eggs and pepper in a small pyrex measuring cup. 
4. Add a bit of the reserved drippings to the wok. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture into the wok. Tilt pan, so it covers the bottom. Do this over medium-high heat until the egg is set. Remove egg “pancake” to cutting board. Repeat process twice more. If you don’t have enough reserved bacon fat to add about 1/2 tablespoon for each egg, substitute vegetable oil. Chop up the cooked eggs on the cutting board and reserve for later. 
5. Heat another 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add rice, cook, and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in your veggies, protein, eggs, bacon, onion. I add one at a time, adding the one that needs the most cooking or heating back up first. When all items are mixed in, finish with adding the soy sauce. Cook and stir until heated through.
6. Serve.

Makes roughly 8 servings.