Mexi Fried Rice

Rice is something I always have on hand. I love it's fluffy texture and ability to take on so many flavors. And lets face it, when you order Chinese food, there is always a bin of the stuff left. I use it for desserts, breakfasts, dinners and sides. One of my all time favorite things to make is fried rice.

Asian style fried rice always has a home in my fridge, but once you have the basics down, fried rice can be anything. The difference is oils and add-ins. The best advice I can give you is to start with cold rice, ideally made at least a day ahead.

Unlike traditional Mexican Rice dishes, this doesn't involve a can of tomatoes and sauce. The tomatoes here are just used for topping. The color comes from the spices!

Mexi Fried Rice

4 cups cooked rice, cold
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup pigeon peas (or regular)
1/2 cup mixed bell pepper strips
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion (aprox 1/2 small onion)
3 roasted red peppers, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 dried chili*
1 small tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
Garlic Cilantro Balsamic
2 tbsp Garlic Olive Oil
1 tbsp Chipotle Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Heat the oils in a large pan to medium high. Add the onions and saute until just translucent, 1-3 minutes. Add the dried chili and the pigeon peas and cook for one more minute.

Add a pinch of salt and the bell pepper strips and stir well. Add the rice and mix together. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the spices over everything and give it a good toss. Cook stirring occasionally another 5 minutes. Remove the chili.

Stir in the sweet corn and roasted peppers and stir until heated all the way through. Serve with a small mound of diced avocado and tomatoes on each portion and a drizzle of Garlic Cilantro Balsamic on each.

* If you want it spicier, leave in the seeds. For less spice, take them out.  For no spice, leave it out entirely and use all Garlic Oil.

Shrimp Avocado Sandwich

I made a few more shrimp than I needed when I made the lemon pasta earlier this week. I suppose they aren't really extra. There are never extra shrimp. There are just reserved shrimp. 

So these reserved shrimp needed something creamy, and crunchy to pair with. At the grocery store, a nice display of avocados decided the day.

Shrimp Avocado Sandwich

for 1 sandwich

6-8 shrimp, cooked

1/4 avocado, sliced

1 long roll

2 slices provolone

a couple ribs romaine lettuce

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp Pineapple Balsamic

2 tbsp Spanish Olive Oil

Slice your roll in half and brush with the olive oil. Toss under a boiler for a couple minutes until it gets nice and brown. I used my toaster oven and that worked just fine. 

Whisk the mayonnaise with the Pineapple Balsamic and spread over the toasted bread. If you want melted cheese, assemble everything but arrange the cheese on top and stick back under the broiler. I just wanted to eat it, so I folded it up and did just that.

Perfect crispy bread. Nice creamy avocado. Mmmm, shrimp.