The Double-Shift Scramble

Last week over dinner at Pure Food & Wine, the conversation turned to random dishes we make for ourselves over and over. (Invariably, when out with other food bloggers, 75% of the conversation will be about the edible.) Diana told us, in great detail, about a dish she makes about once a week. It’s a comforting mix of vegetables, eggs and rice, served warm and seasoned to perfection with parmesan and a drizzle of tahini. The combination may sound a bit odd, at first, but today, during my double-shift at the restaurant (my second in a row), as I thought about what I had in the fridge and what I would have the effort to make when I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I might make this meal for myself.

As the weekend draws to a close, no matter how good I’ve been about using up the fresh food in the refrigeration, there’s always a little extra leftover. This time, I had cooked wild rice, a few carrots, broccoli and eggs that only had a day or two left before they started to turn. Although Diana used zucchini in her dish, I had a feeling it would be equally delicious with the carrots and broccoli I had on hand, and could work with anything from shredded Brussels sprouts to chopped string beans. And the best part? This version has three types of sesame! Seeds, oil, and good old fashioned tahini.

THE DOUBLE-SHIFT SCRAMBLE

Inspired by Diana’s Zucchini Thingie

• 1 T sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 t chili flakes
• 1/2 cup cooked rice (I used wild rice)
• 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
• 1 t soy sauce
• 1 cup vegetables, cut into small pieces (I used shredded carrots and broccoli)
• tahini or cashini butter, for garnish
• parmesan, for garnish
• sesame seeds, for garnish
• salt to taste

Heat oil over medium-high heat about 20 seconds, add garlic and chili flakes and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and stir in rice until it’s heated through. Be careful, oil may pop!

Add egg + white and stir in soy sauce.

Scramble in veggies, folding until well-combined. Remove from heat and plate, garnishing with a sprinkle each of sesame seeds and parmesan, and a drizzle of tahini (or cashini). Add salt to taste.

Sit back, relax, enjoy. And it’s perfectly okay to do so while sipping beer and watching that three-week-old episode of Gossip Girl you haven’t yet had a chance to see.

You’ve had a long day.

What’s your go-to meal that you make yourself when you want something delicious, nutritious, and comforting? This is a new favorite of mine! I also love Sesame-Cooked Eggs Over Rice, or a sweet potato topped with black beans and hot sauce.