INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 8 thick-cut slices bacon, cut crosswise into %-inch-wide lardons
  • 1(15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 poblano chile, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
  • 3 ounces mustard greens, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
  • Clover honey
  • 4 large eggs
  • Hot sauce
  • 2 scallions, green tops and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has rendered its fat and is golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.Pour all but
  2. tablespoons of the rendered fat into a small bowl and set aside for cooking the peppers. 2. Heat the rendered fat still in the pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the black-eyed peas and cook until warm, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and transfer to a bowl.
  3. Pour the reserved rendered bacon fat into a medium saucepan and heat over high heat. Add the poblano, bell pepper, and onion. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and stir well. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes.
  4. While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large deep sauté pan over high heat. Add the mustard greens, a splash of water, and salt and black pepper to taste and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in a touch of honey to sweeten.
  5. When the rice is done cooking, remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and stir in the black-eyed peas and mustard greens. Transfer to a sheet pan in an even layer to stop further steaming and prevent the grains from clumping.
  6. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  7. Spoon the rice into a 2-quart baking dish and make 4 indentations spaced a few inches apart. Crack an egg into each indentation and season the eggs with salt and black pepper. Bake until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Remove, drizzle with a bit of hot sauce, and garnish with the bacon and scallions.