Drop It Like It's Hot

What the Heck Do I Do With All This Leftover Fried Rice? Egg Drop Soup With Leeks and Greens!

It's been a long time since I have written. Not that I haven't been cooking . . . but in the midst of directing Three Sisters, over a full load of classes, and the limitations of my annual Lenten vegetarianism, I've been relying on old favorite recipes rather than much experimentation. Well, I'm back. The show is closed, spring is right around the corner, and kitchen creativity is beckoning me! This first recipe since my blog-sabbatical is based on one of my favorite culinary challenges: leftovers. Tonight's culprit: Fried rice. We've all had white take-out containers taking up precious refrigerator space. I made an absolutely lovely batch of Bon Appétit's Shrimp Fried Rice for last Thursday's dinner with my gluten-free friend, Arin. The rice was a hit, but even three hungry people couldn't finish off the generously portioned recipe. Since Friday morning the rice-filled Pyrex has been staring back at me every time I've opened the refrigerator. Leftover rice. I've put it into burritos before or just resigned myself to eating it no matter how increasingly dry and unappetizing it became. Thankfully, in this instance, inspiration hit . . . egg drop soup! This hearty, easy, and quick protein-packed soup is a standby in my house. Thanks to our own eager flock of lovely chickens, we always have an abundance of fresh eggs and I have made multiple variations on this recipe - usually with noodles. This batch was whipped up in about twenty minutes. I used some mustard greens, but any hearty bitter green will do (kale, chard, whatever). I topped my sweetie's portion with a little shredded chicken breast, but left mine vegetarian (although it did spice it up with a generous Sriracha topping).

Ingredients
- 2 c. leftover fried rice 
- 6 c. vegetable stock
- 2 Tbsp. cooking sherry
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 leeks, trimmed, rinsed, and thinly sliced crosswise
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch mustard greens (or other bitter greens), stems removed and roughly chopped
- 4 eggs
-  2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

It certainly was a tasty batch of shrimp fried rice, but after we had picked out all the shrimp . . . it was well . . . just rice.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce-pan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add sliced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft, sweet, and begin to turn translucent. Season lightly with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add vegetable or chicken stock and turn heat up to high.

When the broth is brought to a boil, add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sherry, sesame oil, and leftover rice. Lower heat to a simmer and add torn greens. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes until the greens and softened and bright green. Remove lid and raise heat back up to medium-high so that broth comes to a boil.

Carefully crack eggs into soup and let boil 3-4 minutes until eggs just begin to set. Carefully stir broth mixture so that whites and yolks are drawn into long threads through the broth. Remove from heat. Season to taste with additional salt or soy sauce. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with several drops of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Enjoy!


 

Warm Spell

Spicy Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Shredded Pork Soup

Inching towards Christmas and it's cold outside!  We're in the midst of a long stretch of long, rainy days and cold, frosty nights up here in the Northwest. The best remedy is a big pot of hot soup, of course! I was looking to cook up something with a bit of a soul-warming kick that made good use of the ample supply of Kahlua Pig in the freezer. (Also a great way to use up leftover rice.) This was just what we were looking for after a long day of holiday shopping!

Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 c. chicken broth
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
- juice from one lime
- 1 jar red salsa
- 4 chili peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- 2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 c. shredded Kahlua Pig 
- 1 c. cooked white rice
- 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
- avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream for serving

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and translucent, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth, salsa, sweet potatoes, black beans, chili peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. garlic powder, chili powder, and 1 tsp. ground cumin. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.

While the soup is simmering, toss the shredded pork with remaining cumin and garlic powder and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside.

When the soup is finished simmering add the cooked rice, shredded pork, and minced cilantro. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until the meat and rice are heated through. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with avocado slices, a pinch of shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with hot bread or tortilla chips! Yum!

Wet and Wild!

Wet Burritos with Pulled Pork
Remember that delicious ton of Kahlua Pig I whipped up a couple of days ago? Well, let's call this Pork Part II. Slow cooked pork shoulder is a fantastic building block recipe - use some for now, freeze the rest for later. What could be better for busy cooks with mouths to feed? My sweetie and I picked out our Christmas tree last night, but before we had time to decorate, I had to run off back to work to administer an evening final exam. The only thing that made the wait for dinner and holiday fun was knowing that the smoky meat was ready and the burritos were a snap to put together! Truth be told . . . decorating was delayed for another night as we dove into dinner and a rousing round of Borderlands 2! The tree can wait . . . we have plenty of leftovers to sustain us!

Ingredients
- 3 c. cooked shredded Kahlua Pig   
- 10 burrito-sized flour tortillas
- 2 c. cooked white rice
- 1 14 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
- 1 jar salsa verde
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1/2 c. chopped pickled jalapenos
- 2. c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Tbsp. cumin, divided
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper
- 3 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
- guacamole and salsa for serving

Spritz a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray, set aside and heat oven to 350˚F. Toss together rice with jalapeno peppers, 1 Tbsp. cumin, chili powder, chopped cilantro, and cardamom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make sure rice is well coated.

In a separate bowl, toss together shredded pork with remaining cumin so that is evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

One at a time, assemble burritos. Sprinkle each with an equal portion of rice, beans, shredded pork, cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Tuck in edges and roll tightly into a small burrito. Arrange burritos tightly side-by-side in the prepared baking dish.

Pour salsa verde evenly over the burritos then sprinkle with the shredded pepper jack cheese. Place in oven and bake 30-35 minutes until the burritos are cooked through and the cheese is gooey and melted on top.

Allow burritos to rest five minutes before serving. Top with extra sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to serve! So delicious!

Rice is Nice

Teriyaki Salmon and Veggie-Packed Fried Rice

There are few things I find more satisfying than a nice, fat piece of seared salmon. It's just so filling and absolutely delicious. What am I not a fan of? Rice. I just don't really care for rice. Pasta or rice? I'll choose pasta every time. Perhaps it's the Italian in me, but whatever. People love rice. It's a staple in many food traditions. And, really, I do eat it. (Honestly, I LOVE it in sushi.) This recipe is one in my regular rotation. I put it together as a way to make peace with my weird rice-aversion. It worked. I use brown rice because I prefer the nuttier flavor, but feel free to use what you like. It's a snap to throw together, on the healthier side of things, and packed with yummy veggies. Feel free to substitute the salmon fillet with chicken if fish isn't your thing. This is a recipe for two, but easily doubled for families. I hope you like it.

Ingredients
- 2 6-7 oz. boneless salmon fillets (skin or skinless- whatever you like)
- 6 Tbsp. butter, divided
- 3 c. cooked rice (brown or white)
- 1 head broccoli, florets removed from stem
- 1 c. diced carrots
- 6 green onions, cleaned and diced
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. teriyaki sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking spray

Cook rice according to package directions (about 20 minutes). While rice is working, prepare other ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9" round baking dish with cooking spray. Season both sides of salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Place fillets in melted butter and sear (1-2 minutes per side). Place fillets in prepared baking dish and cover with teriyaki sauce. Bake in oven 9-10 minutes until salmon is cooked through.

Meanwhile, melt 4 Tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add cooked rice, onions, carrot, broccoli, peas, and soy sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly. Make two wells in the rice and crack one egg in each well. Cover and cook 8-9 minutes until egg is nearly cooked through. With a wooden spoon, stir rice mixture, spreading egg throughout. The egg will cook in the hot rice. Remove from heat and remove salmon from oven. Divide fried rice among two plates and top each with a salmon fillet. Drizzle with additional teriyaki sauce. Done and done. Quick and yummy!