Equipment
Ingredients
Proteins
- 115 g thick-cut bacon, diced into 1cm pieces
- 450 g shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 3 garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
Rice and Seasonings
- 600 g cooked long-grain white rice, cooked and fully chilled
- 4 g smoked paprika
- 15 ml olive oil
- 4 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the diced bacon in a cold cast-iron skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Season the shrimp with the smoked paprika, half the salt, and half the black pepper. Add the shrimp to the hot bacon fat in a single layer. Cook without moving until the bottom is seared, then flip and cook until totally opaque and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 74C or 165F. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the bacon.
In the same skillet, add the cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, and the white parts of the scallions. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to blister and release their juices, and the corn is tender. Add the minced garlic during the final minute of cooking. Transfer this vegetable mixture to the bowl with the shrimp and bacon.
Check the skillet; if it looks dry, add the olive oil. Add the chilled cooked rice to the pan, breaking up any large clumps. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Toss briefly to coat the rice in the residual pan flavors, then press the rice firmly into an even layer across the entire bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook completely undisturbed until a golden, crispy crust forms on the bottom.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the reserved shrimp, bacon, corn, and tomato mixture evenly over the top of the crispy rice.
Garnish the skillet with the reserved green parts of the scallions. Serve immediately, directly from the skillet, using a spatula to ensure each portion includes the crispy rice bottom.
Chef's Notes
- Cold, day-old rice is non-negotiable for the perfect crust. Freshly cooked rice has too much surface moisture and will steam rather than fry.
- Starting bacon in a cold cast-iron skillet allows the fat to render slowly and evenly, preventing the bacon from burning before it becomes crisp.
- The fond (browned bits) left in the pan from the bacon and shrimp is crucial; as the tomatoes burst, their acidic juice acts as a natural deglazer, lifting that flavor into the vegetable mixture.
- Listen to the pan while the rice is crisping. You should hear a steady, gentle sizzle. If it sounds like rapid crackling, the heat is too high and the rice may burn; if it is silent, the heat is too low.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store components separately if possible. The crispy rice will soften in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat the rice portion in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat to recrisp the bottom. Microwave the toppings separately.
