Cauliflower fried rice with bacon and shrimp
Just yesterday I was listening to a podcast on super foods, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear that cauliflower is one of them. I love it and eat it all the time. So I was happy to hear that there are so many benefits to incorporating this lovely vegetable into one’s diet.
The other night, I made a huge batch of Cauliflower Fried Rice for myself (Denis and Jamie don’t eat cauliflower… :( They don’t know what they are missing!).
I had thought I had already done a fried rice post here, but it turns out I haven’t! Fried rice is a favorite in our household. I don’t make it the traditional way — I always add bacon. We love the smoky flavor it imparts. And you don’t have to use as much oil — everything gets mostly cooked in the bacon fat. I add a bit of water later on and steam/braise the fried rice until everything comes together. Then I season it all with sesame oil (a must!) and soy sauce. When the kitchen begins to smell like smoky bacon and nutty sesame oil, people will come wandering in, mouths watering.
Since I didn’t feel like eating a ton of rice, and because there wasn’t enough anyway, I made mine with cauliflower rice recently. It was really delicious and much lighter, but filled with as much flavor. This is a perfect alternative for people who are reducing their starch intake. Half a head of cauliflower makes a lot of “rice”! You can eat tons of it with abandon, knowing you are getting a ton of nutrients, fiber, and protein.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
1/2 head of cauliflower
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 slices of bacon
2 sprigs of green onion, sliced finely
2 cups of veggies (I used zucchini, steamed broccoli, and frozen corn and peas)
1 cup of shrimp (deveined and cleaned), or cooked chicken, ham, cubed tofu, or other protein of choice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1. Process cauliflower in a food processor until it has the consistency of rice. Set aside.
2. Cook egg in a small skillet on stove. Remove to cutting board and chop coarsely. Set aside.
3. Cut bacon into small pieces using kitchen shears. Heat a large cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Add bacon.
4. When a bit of fat has rendered from the bacon, add the chopped onion. Saute until almost translucent. Add other vegetables and meat if you are using it. When softened, add cauliflower. Drizzle with sesame oil. If pan seems dry, add a bit of water and cover pan with a lid. Turn down low and braise until vegetables are cooked to your liking.
5. Add soy sauce, chopped egg, and scallions. Stir to incorporate. Serve immediately.
Makes 2-4 servings.
Note: You can also use about 2-3 cups of leftover cooked rice in place of the cauliflower (or a combination!) to make regular fried rice.
My regular fried rice with bacon