Cauliflower Fried Rice

This recipe calls for a food processor to make quick work of mincing the cauliflower. In a pinch, this step could be done by hand. For best results, prepare the rice the day ahead; the texture of fried rice is better when starting with cold rice. If you happen to have leftover containers of plain take-out rice, by all means use them. The eggs and the remaining veggies may be prepped earlier in the day so that the dish comes together quickly and easily come dinnertime. If desired, sprinkle the finished dish with toasted sesame seeds. Or omit the eggs and top with chopped peanuts.

Yield: 4-6 main dish servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil (if not available, use all olive oil)
7 scallions, chopped (keep white/light green ends separate from dark green tops)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower
3 cups cooked brown rice, *cold* (from 1 cup uncooked)
2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped small (see tip)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 hard-boiled eggs, minced (see notes)

Remove the cauliflower’s tough stem and roughly chop the florets. Using a food processor, pulse the cauliflower florets until they resemble rice or couscous. You should end up with about four cups of “cauliflower rice.”
Heat the olive oil in a large (12- to 14-inch diameter) skillet over medium heat. If available, a cast iron pan works well. Add the garlic and the white and light green scallion pieces. Sauté for one minute or until fragrant.
Add the cauliflower to the skillet. Stir to coat with the oil, and then spread in an even layer and let sit; you want it to brown slightly to bring out the sweetness. After a couple of minutes, stir and spread out again.
Add the cold rice and the coconut oil (or more olive oil). Raise the heat to medium-high. Toss everything together and, again, spread the mixture over the pan and gently press down. Let it sit for about two minutes so the rice toasts and gets a little crispy. Add the peas and broccoli and stir again. Drizzle the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil over the rice. Cook for another minute or so and turn off the heat. Add the chopped scallion tops and minced eggs. Toss and serve immediately. Leftovers are delicious, gently reheated, for lunch or dinner over the next several days.

One of the ways I adapted the original recipe was by using hard-boiled eggs, which can easily be prepared in advance, in place of the stir-fried egg typical of fried rice. As an option, you may scramble two eggs, remove to a plate and roughly chop. Then simply wipe out the pan and proceed with the recipe, stirring in the eggs at the end.