Rice

At the restaurant, this dish is served as a starter. It would also make a great main course for four.

There's no alternative to Chinese sausage—it's slightly sweet and very flavorful.

"The last time we went to Las Vegas," writes Timothy Arndt of Austin, Texas, "I took my girlfriend out to dinner at Olives in the Bellagio, and we were both impressed with the food and the gorgeous setting. Best of all was dessert — we shared a creamy and exotic coconut rice pudding with tropical fruit." Use any leftover macaroon crumble over ice cream or fresh fruit.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Scallops, Okra, and Tomatoes in Coconut Curry Sauce .

Any type of hot smoked pork sausage such as andouille or kielbasa will do for this takeoff on traditional Louisiana dirty rice. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Brown rice is not traditionally used for sushi in Japan, but since it's such a healthy whole grain, we've decided to bend the rules. You'll have leftover vegetables, which are great for salads. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

This is nice on cold nights, especially when you're craving something rich, comforting, and restorative. It's saucy and intensely flavored, with lots of interesting textures.

This satisfying meal in a bowl is also good sprinkled with a touch of grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

This rich and comforting pudding is served at the floating restaurant Fregatten Sct. Georg III in Tivoli Gardens.