MEET THE SOUS CHEF
ANDREW FRANCISCO, EXECUTIVE CHEF, METTLE, AUSTIN, TX
Andrew Francisco calls Austin home, but the well-traveled chef spent his high school years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia--a seminal experience that informs his cooking to this day. Francisco recently left his post as chef de cuisine at Olivia in Austin in order to open Mettle, an all-day bistro located on the city’s east side and slated to open in late February or early March.
The father of three young children, Francisco is constantly looking for healthful dishes that everyone will eat. His shrimp fried rice is a family favorite because it’s quick to prepare and can be made with a variety of ingredients, depending on what you have around. It will likely become a favorite of yours, too.
TRACK THIS CHEF
DAY IN THE LIFE
Kidding Around
"I never have enough time with my kids," laments Francisco, "so I spend my days off doing whatever they want." He also cooks for the kids, making their favorites, which include chicken noodle soup, homemade pizza and, of course, macaroni and cheese.
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Good to the Grain
The first step to good fried rice? The rice. Day-old is best, as it is a little drier and won't turn to mush when stir-fried. You can use leftover takeout rice, or make your own. Jasmine rice works best; make sure the rice is cool before you begin.
Batch Point
Francisco recommends cooking the rice in batches, since home stoves don't get nearly as hot as commercial wok burners. He likes to include seasonal vegetables, from English peas to asparagus to corn and even diced, cooked golden beets. He seasons the rice with soy sauce and rice vinegar at the end because, he says, "When making fried rice, moisture is not your friend."
YIELD
4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Herb Salad
Small romaine heart, 1 (thinly sliced crosswise)
Small carrots, 3 (peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise)
Celery stalk, 1 (halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on a bias) plus 2 tablespoons celery leaves (roughly chopped)
Scallions, 2 (trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias)
Small red bell pepper, ½ (thinly sliced lengthwise)
English cucumber, ¼ (peeled, sliced into 1-inch segments, sliced lengthwise into thin planks and then stacked and sliced lengthwise into matchsticks)
Cilantro leaves, ½ cup (roughly chopped)
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, ½ cup (roughly chopped)
Mint leaves, 5 (roughly chopped)
Limes, 1 (halved)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola or olive oil, 1½ tablespoons
Fried Rice
Large eggs, 3
Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon plus a pinch and extra if needed
Sesame oil (not toasted), 2 teaspoons
Canola oil, 1 tablespoon
Medium yellow onion, ½ (finely chopped)
Jalapeño, 1 (halved, seeded and finely chopped)
Garlic cloves, 4 (finely chopped)
Fresh ginger, 1½ inches (skin scraped away with the edge of a spoon, ginger finely chopped)
Scallion, 1 (light green and white part only, finely chopped)
Jumbo shrimp, ½ pound (peeled and deveined)
Cooked long-grain white rice (such as jasmine), 2½ cups
Fresh or frozen and thawed petit peas, 2 cups
Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
Rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper
Lime, 1 (sliced into wedges)
EQUIPMENT
Plastic wrap
Platter for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Make the herb salad: In a large bowl, toss together the:
- Sliced romaine heart
- Sliced carrots
- Sliced celery and chopped celery leaves
- Sliced scallions
- Sliced red bell pepper
- Cucumber matchsticks
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped parsley
- Chopped mint
Squeeze over the salad the:
- Juice from the lime halves
Season with:
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
2. Make the fried rice: In a medium bowl, whisk together the:
- Large eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Whisk until frothy, about 30 seconds. Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until nearly smoking, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the:
- Sesame oil
Pour in the beaten eggs and use the heat-safe spatula to move the eggs around the pan until they begin to set, about 15 seconds. Continue to cook until the eggs are scrambled to your liking, about 1 minute longer for a medium-firm set. Turn the eggs out into a medium bowl.
3. Return the wok to high heat until almost smoking, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the:
- Canola oil
- Chopped onion
Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 1 minute. Stir in the:
- Chopped jalapeño
- Chopped garlic
- Chopped ginger
- Chopped scallion
- Pinch of kosher salt
Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the:
- Peeled and deveined shrimp
Stir often until the shrimp start to curl, about 1 minute. Stir in the:
- Cooked long-grain white rice
- Petit peas
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Scrambled eggs
Cook, stirring, until the rice and peas are warmed through, about 8 minutes. Taste and season with:
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Turn out onto a platter, top with the herb salad and serve with the:
- Lime wedges
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