Stir-Fried Garlic Stems with Bacon

Once you’ve discovered garlic stems, you’ll never look back. The following recipe, which takes about 10 minutes to make, is for a dish I’ve often eaten in the homes of my Sichuanese friends. It’s utterly delicious. The bacon adds a fabulous umami kick to the sweet, pungent garlic and, with rice, it’s just about a meal in itself. I generally use smoked bacon, but unsmoked bacon is also fine, as is pancetta or Chinese wind-dried sausage. Add the rinds to the wok with the bacon for extra richn