When my husband was little he went through a phase where he only wanted rice for breakfast.  From what I hear, he was such a skinny kid that his mother let him eat pretty much whatever he wanted – as long as he was eating.  That would not fly in my house – and yes, my girls are pretty tiny to say the least.  I love a good bowl of rice, but rice for breakfast would not be my choice – unless I added a handful of granola and topped it off with some milk.  Now you’re talking…

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit and I immediately thought of breakfast, and then my mind went straight for dinner.  As I have mentioned many times before – I love a good egg for dinner.  Add some bacon, leeks and risotto to that, and boy do you have yourself a killer meal.  My favorite restaurant Tilth will occasionally serve a poached or sous vide egg on top of their risotto or homemade pasta dish – and it makes me melt.  I love breaking into that egg and watching the yolk get into all those nooks and crannies – creating a beautiful silky sauce that coats the dish.  Yum, with a capital Y.  Well – that’s what this dish was all about.  I closed my eyes, and I swear I was eating at my favorite restaurant.  The kids loved it too – my older daughter loved the eggs so much – she had two.  That was quite a compliment.

So – go ahead and try this, and I really don’t think it matters if you serve it for dinner or breakfast – this is definitely a dish to make when you want to impress someone.  Fortunately it is not too difficult – and boy is it worth it.  I can’t wait to make it again…

Preparation

Bring large skillet of water just to simmer over medium-low  heat. Sprinkle water with salt. Working with 1 egg at a time, crack into small  bowl and slide egg into simmering water. Cook eggs until whites are cooked  through but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon,  carefully transfer poached eggs to medium bowl filled with ice water. DO  AHEAD Eggs can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate in same  bowl of ice water.

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan; cover to keep warm.  Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until  crisp, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper  towels to drain. Add leeks to drippings in pan; cook until soft but not brown,  stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 generous tablespoonfuls leeks to  small bowl; reserve for garnish. Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine;  stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1D2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir  until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender  but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23  minutes total. Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat poached eggs in medium skillet of simmering  water just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top risotto in each bowl with  poached egg. Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley leaves,  additional cheese, and reserved leeks.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Bacon and Leek Risotto with Poached Egg