Teacher - Chef

Growing up I was always a Lo-Mein kinda girl. So much so that when my parents would order Chinese, I would never even look at the menu (and pretty soon they just stopped asking me and just knew what to get me – Lo-Mein and Hot & Sour Soup!!). They would always make me try other things and here & there I would find things I liked (General Tso’s chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Boneless Spare Ribs), but overall I was just a Lo-Mein Girl! Then, I went to college and for some reason I started ordering different things – or asked to try friend’s stuff! And it was then (even though I had always had it growing up) that I really decided that Pork Fried Rice is awesome!

So when my mom called me recently because she was going to Shop-Rite’s Customer Appreciation Day and did I want pork loin, because the price was too good to pass up but they already had some in the freezer – I obviously said yes. Little to my surprise (a ‘thank goodness I got a new fridge already’ kinda surprise) she had purchased me a 10 pound pork loin!

Yeah – 10 lbs and 2 people… wow! So I got to slicing and dividing (ended up with 4 meals of sliced pork loin, two 2 pound-ish hunks for slow cooker or something, and some small chunks to use in what else but pork friend rice!).

So I started to do some searching for good Fried Rice recipes because I always seem to just not make it right. This time I made sure to cook my rice as SOON as I got home from school so it was cooled by the time I went to cook the rest of the dish. The secret that I have been missing has got to be hoisin sauce – this taste was right on!! I like more kick to my fried rice, so next time I will get some of that red chili sauce or maybe just chinese mustard – but I want more of a kick.

This was super tasty, not too time-consuming – perfect for the next time you have a ton (literally!?) of pork sitting around OR have leftover pork OR just have the craving for fried rice (you can even add in whatever other veggies you like, or make this vegetarian very easily – play around & let me know how it goes!

Pork Fried Rice

as adapted from Sweet Pea Chef

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil, divided
• 1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless pork chops
• 6-7 cremini (or a container of baby-bella) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced plus more for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 cups cooked long grain rice
• 3 tbsp. (low sodium) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• [1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed]
• 1 small container sliced water chestnuts
• 3 eggs, beaten
• kosher salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste

Heat 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Generously season pork chops with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Brown each side. When cooked through, remove from heat and allow to cool, reserving the drippings in the pan. When cool enough to handle, chop the pork into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the shallot, green onions, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chopped pork, rice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and thawed peas and stir to combine.

Push the rice mixture to one side of the skillet. Pour the eggs into the cleared side of the skillet and scramble. Once mostly scrambled, break up with spatula or spoon and combine eggs and rice mixture. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper, if necessary. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

And I leave you with this quote… “Ever consider what pets must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul – chicken, pork half a cow. They must think we’re the greatest hunters on Earth!” (Anne Tyler)