Fried Rice with Eggs and Country Ham: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves4 (main course)

Active time:20 min
Start to finish:20 min

RECIPE BY CHEF ANDREA REUSING, LANTERN, CHAPEL HILL, NC

April 2009

Eggs and a container of leftover rice in the refrigerator mean that dinner can truly be last-minute. Salty country ham is an especially wonderful embellishment.

4 jumbo eggs at room temperature 30 minutes
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 oz country ham, chopped (1/2 cup; see cooks’ note, below)
5 cups cold cooked jasmine or long-grain brown rice, crumbled to separate grains
6 to 8 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Whisk together eggs, water, and salt until combined well.
Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetable oil and ham and cook, tossing and separating pieces of ham, just until ham begins to darken, about 10 seconds. Add rice and toss to coat with oil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring frequently, until rice is hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in half of egg mixture and cook, tossing, until rice is well coated and eggs begin to cook. Make a well in rice and add remaining egg mixture. Cook, stirring eggs often but not incorporating rice, just until eggs are softly scrambled, then toss with rice. Stir in scallions and sesame oil.

Cooks’ note: If you can’t find country ham, prosciutto is a good substitute.