ASIAN DELIGHT WITH JASMINE RICE AND SWEET CHINESE SAUSAGE

I adore this recipe for several reasons: Baking the rice in the oven is a brilliant technique, and Chinese sausage gives it a hint of the exotic. The dish also comes with a great story: Ron Hsu, who is opening Lazy Betty in Candler Park in early 2019, modeled this one-dish meal on his mom’s fried rice. When he worked at New York’s famed Le Bernardin, he would make his so-called Asian Delight as a staff meal for hungry colleagues. Only he used foie gras instead of a fried egg. No wonder they loved it! – Wendell Brock

1 tablespoon pork or bacon fat (may use chicken fat,

duck fat or olive oil)

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained

2 pods of star anise

1/4 cinnamon stick

4 links sweet Chinese sausage (lap-xoung), cut into

1-inch pieces

3 3/4 cups hot chicken stock

Oil or cooking spray for coating pan

4 large eggs Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro Sliced chile peppers (optional) Soy sauce (optional) Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the pork fat in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until it glistens. Toss in onion, garlic and ginger and cook until tender but not brown, 4-5 minutes. Stir in rice to toast, about 3 minutes, stirring regularly from the bottom so that the rice doesn’t stick.

Add star anise, cinnamon stick, Chinese sausage and hot chicken stock. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Remove from flame, and cover the pot with aluminum foil, making sure it’s completely sealed. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes without removing the foil.

While the rice is finishing, place oil or cooking spray in a pan over medium-high heat, and fry the eggs sunny side up.

Remove foil from rice; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the rice among four bowls, top with a fried egg, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and chili peppers (if using). Drizzle with soy sauce if desired. Serves 4.

Per serving: 602 calories (percent of calories from fat, 36), 17 grams protein, 78 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 24 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 234 milligrams cholesterol, 282 milligrams sodium.