Ever heard of Bacsilog? It’s the bacon version of a “silog” which is a common Filipino style of breakfast consisting of SInangag (garlic fried rice) and itLOG (eggs). The first syllable refers to the type of protein that takes the main stage of the dish. So, longganisa sausage is longsilog, Spam is Spamsilog, and Bacon is Bacsilog.
Bacsilog got popular in the Philippines when a small food cart called Ate Rica’s Bacsilog started selling it to students and local workers looking for a quick satisfying bite. The thing that makes this humble dish so good is the cheese sauce that ties everything together. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s strengths lie in its simplicity.
For 4 servings, you will need:
- 8 thick slices bacon
- some leftover rice (cold)
- 4 eggs
- 8 cloved garlic, minced
- green onion, chopped
- oil
For the cheese sauce:
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- a dash of maggi
Start by cutting the bacon into large lardon. You can vary the size to your taste, but you don’t want them too small so as to make them crisp up to bacon bits. You still want to have good bite-sized pieces. Put them in a pan on medium-high heat and move around the pan to render the fat. When you get them to the doneness you like, remove them and set them aside on a paper towel to drain.
Keep a couple of tablespoons of fat in the pan and add the minced garlic. Turn down the pan to medium so you don’t burn the garlic and make it bitter. You want to gently fry the garlic till golden. Once that’s done, add the rice and break it up with the paddle. Once the rice is evenly cooked, set it aside.
To make the sauce, start by slowly heating the evaporated milk in a small saucepan on medium heat. Slowly bring it to a simmer, then add the cheese. This is a ghetto Mornay sauce, but you know what? It works. Whisk in the cheese until its melted and everything is combined. Add a dash of the Maggi and whisk again to mix, remove from heat and set aside.
Fry up an egg to the way you like it, then get ready to assemble.
In a bowl, put in the fried rice then add the bacon. Pour a little of the cheese sauce over everything, then top with the fried egg. Finish with more cheese sauce and finally some chopped green onion.