Well, I'd made a rack of pork for Christmas, so I didn't want to make another roast. But I had some pork meat I'd stashed, so I figured I could use that in a recipe.
The original recipe also included a paella, which got me thinking. Left over roast pork ... and rice. The answer was fried rice. A simple side dish or lunch. Bingo.
I used the vegetables I had on hand, but with something like this, you can certainly improvise. The key to fried rice is that you have to cook the rice and chill it first. Fresh, warm rice won't work in fried rice. I know. I've tried it. So either you have to plan ahead, or use left over rice.
Pork Fried Rice
1 cup long-grain rice (I used Jasmine) cooked and refrigerated until cold
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 cup cooked roast pork, diced
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas
Heat the oil in a wok or other heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the onion, carrot, and celery until the vegetables soften. Add the pork and cook briefly. Add the rice, and stir to break up clumps of rice, then add the soy sauce and peas. Stir to combine and heat through.
Serve warm.
