bacon, brown rice, and beans

It doesn’t take much to make big taste.

Some people like to decry bacon as much as some of us love it. You’ll see these photos of glistening slices in big piles on a plate, insinuating that’s how most Americans eat.

Danny and I love our pork, but we’re not really big fans of the Bacon Explosion. I can certainly see why that became such a fad. However, for most days’ eating, that’s not where we’re going.

We love bacon as a flavoring, a condiment, a small touch in a plate full of other good foods. The fat released into the pan lends its brilliant taste to the brown rice, the green beans, the English peas. This is, in truth, a very French technique.

Try it at home.

Bacon, Brown Rice, and Beans (plus peas)

2 slices good, smoky bacon
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups shelled English peas
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups cooked brown rice

Cut the bacon into 1-inch slices. Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pour the canola oil into the pan. When the oil is hot, add the bacon slices. (The canola helps to coax the bacon fat out and start the process more quickly.) When the bacon has crisped and the fat has been rendered, remove the bacon and set aside.

Toss the English peas and green beans into the bacon fat. Cook, stirring, until they are both hot. Toss in the brown rice and cook until it is hot. Add the bacon slices and serve.

Serves 4