Photo by Jane Mason
Provenance of Dish
This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe by Lucas Sin of The Splendid Table, who I heard during a road trip to Wisconsin (to forage, of course). Listening to him convinced me to finally try a “sauce less” fried rice, and I was thrilled with the results. The golden component here works well with morels, which love egg. Don’t be shy with the salt as you go, and keep the heat as high as you can without scorching everything!
Recipe
Ingredients
¾-1 oz dried morels, or 1/2 lb. fresh
4 eggs
5 cups cold cooked white rice
Unflavored, high temp cooking oil
Salt
8-10 large shrimp, shelled and chopped into marble sized pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 shallots, diced fine
4 scallions, sliced into angled rounds, including about half the greens
Instructions
If using dried morels, place them in a ceramic bowl and pour ample boiling water over them. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes, drain, squeeze out excess liquid, and slice lengthwise into quarters or sixths depending on size. If using fresh, simply slice them lengthwise into quarters or sixths.
Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a bowl large enough to hold the 5 cups of rice, and the whites in a smaller bowl.
Beat the egg yolks, add two pinches of salt, and add the cold rice to the bowl. Mix with your hands, trying to separate the grains as much as possible, coating the rice.
Heat a small cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until it is hot. If using dried morels, toss them in and stir for a minute, then add a tablespoon or two of soaking liquid. Cook until the liquid evaporates, then add a teaspoon of butter and a sprinkle of salt. Saute until the edges are browned and remove from heat. If using fresh morels, sauté in butter for five or so minutes, sprinkling lightly with salt, and remove from heat.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet (cast iron works well for me) over medium-high heat. Beat the egg whites and season with salt. Add the egg whites to the pan and cook as you would a crepe, flipping if necessary to cook both sides without browning. Remove to a plate and slice into pieces.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, sprinkle the shrimp with salt, and sauté with minimal stirring just until they turn pink, 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Heat another 1-2 tablespoons of oil and add the ginger and garlic, sauteeing for 30 or so seconds before adding the shallots and cooking for about a minute. Add the golden rice mixture, settling it evenly into the bottom of the pan. Let it cook until it is crisp but not burned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip with a spatula and lightly brown the other side for a minute or two, then mix the rice together and push the rice aside. Add just a bit more oil and toss in the scallions. Let them cook for 30 seconds before mixing them in.
Add the cooked egg white pieces, the mushrooms, and the shrimp and toss to combine. Cook until everything is nicely warm. Taste and season with salt if desired. Serve immediately.
