Pork and Cherry Rice Bowls

Step 1

In a medium pot with a heavy lid or in a rice cooker, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in the rice. Toast the rice in the butter, stirring until fragrant. Then add the boiling water and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Step 2

Once the rice comes to a boil and there are small steam vent holes across the surface, cover and cook for 15 minutes. When the fifteen minutes are up, remove the rice from the heat, but do not uncover the pan. Allow the rice to steam for an additional 10 minutes before removing the lid.

Step 3

In the meantime, place a skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in it. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 4

Add the pork sausage to the pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Mix the chopped Italian Parsley into the pork.

Step 5

Remove the pork from the pan, leaving the juices in the pan. Add the red wine to the pan and deglaze it, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits. This should take about 1 minute.

Step 6

Chop the cherries into quaraters and add them to the deglazed pan, stirring occasionally until the liquid reduces into a thin syrup, about 5 minutes. Take the cherries off the heat. The rice should also be done cooking by now, so make sure to take it off the heat and allow it to steam for 10 minutes.

Step 7

Add the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and lemon juice to the cherry sauce. Stir to incorporate. Add the final tablespoon of butter to the cherry sauce and stir until it melts.

Step 8

Once the ten-minute resting time for the rice is up, uncover and fluff it. Taste for salt and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Step 9

Divide the rice between four bowls. Top the rice with the ground pork. Drizzle with cherry sauce. Garnish with Italian parsley and serve.