James Park’s Savory Pear Pot Rice Gets a Korean Twist
James Park’s Savory Pear Pot Rice with Gochujang Balsamic offers a distinctly Korean take on classic fall comfort food. The cookbook author and content creator notes that his family always kept various pear varieties at home, inspired by his aunt’s farm in Korea. When cooked down in this pot rice dish, the fruit adds a natural sweetness that complements smoky bacon and crispy prosciutto.
The Main Ingredients
You will need four main components to make this dish. The base is a cup of short-grain rice, which absorbs flavors well. Park uses three strips of thick-cut bacon cut into bite-size pieces and four ounces of sliced prosciutto. Two Bosc pears, peeled and cored, are essential for the sweet-and-savory profile. The dish rounds out with a half teaspoon of kosher salt and two cups of baby arugula.
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The sauce is surprisingly simple. Whisking together one tablespoon of gochujang, one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, half a tablespoon of soy sauce, and a quarter teaspoon each of sugar and toasted sesame oil creates the finishing touch. A garnish of shaved Parmesan cheese adds a creamy contrast to the peppery greens. The total time is about one hour and twenty-five minutes, with a yield of four servings.
Cooking the Rice
Start by rinsing the rice and soaking it in water for at least thirty minutes. This step is vital for texture. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon for two to three minutes until the fat renders, then transfer it to a plate. Leave two tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
Working in batches, cook the prosciutto until crisp and set it aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté the diced shallot until softened. Add the cubed pears and cook for a few minutes, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Drain the soaked rice, season with salt, and add it back to the pan along with the bacon and one cup of water.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for ten minutes. Afterward, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another ten minutes to finish steaming. The lid should stay on throughout this resting period to ensure the rice cooks evenly. While the rice rests, whisk together the gochujang, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.
Once the rice is done, gently fluff it with a paddle. Fold in the baby arugula until it wilts. Crumble the crispy prosciutto on top, drizzle the gochujang balsamic sauce over everything, and finish with a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan. Park suggests serving this dish with a cold drink, though the recipe does not specify which. The nutritional information per serving is approximately 432 calories, with 17 grams of protein and 59 grams of carbohydrates.
