WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Carrots, kale, and fried eggs over brown rice make for a colorful, healthy, and hearty anytime-of-day meal. We tossed carrot batons with za’atar, a bold Middle Eastern spice blend, and roasted them until they were tender and spotty brown. When we uncovered the carrots to finish their roasting, we spread some chopped kale over the top. Briefly roasting the kale gave it great flavor and a crispiness that provided the dish with nice textural contrast. Taking advantage of the time the vegetables
spent in the oven, we baked the rice right alongside, a conveniently hands off method that produced great results. For the crowning touch, we topped each bowl with a fried egg, adding another layer of richness to the dish. Medium-grain or short-grain brown rice can be substituted for the long grain rice.

Serves 4

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
• Salt and pepper
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths, thin pieces halved lengthwise, thick pieces quartered lengthwise
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons za’atar
• 8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 4 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine boiling water, rice, and ¾ teaspoon salt in 8-inch square baking dish and cover tightly with 2 layers of aluminum foil. Bake rice on lower rack until tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove rice from oven, uncover, and fluff with fork. Cover with dish towel and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Toss carrots, 1 tablespoon oil, za’atar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread carrots onto parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil, and roast on upper rack for 20 minutes.
3. Toss kale, 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Remove foil from sheet and arrange kale over top of carrots. Return sheet to oven and roast uncovered until carrots are spotty brown and tender and kale is crisp and edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
4. Whisk vinegar, shallot, and 3 tablespoons oil together in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle vinaigrette over rice and vegetables; cover to keep warm.
5. Crack eggs into 2 small bowls (2 eggs per bowl) and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour 1 bowl of eggs into 1 side of pan and second bowl into other side. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and let sit, covered, for 15 to 45 seconds for runny yolks (white around edge of yolk will be barely opaque), 45 to 60 seconds for soft but set yolks, or about 2 minutes for medium-set yolks.
6. Portion brown rice into individual bowls and top with roasted vegetables. Top each bowl with fried egg, and serve.