It’s no secret that we are big fans of the pork products here at Chez Dietschyblossom, so when we saw Melissa’s absolutely mouthwatering photo of Derrick’s take on Craft’s bacon and egg risotto, there was no doubt in my mind I’d try my own spin soon.
I used pancetta instead of bacon because that was what we had on hand. I diced up six thick slices, rendered them down, set the crispy bits aside on a paper towel and used the fat (mixed with a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano butter) to saute my diced onion and to begin to cook the rice. I used 1/2 cup of white vermouth and some of our homemade chicken stock for the liquid components, and stirred in the cooked pancetta with the last addition of stock. I finished the risotto with a little bit of grated parm, a dollop of crème fraiche and a bit more butter, then spooned it into our bowls and topped each serving with a poached egg yolk and some chopped chives.
Though I over-poached the yolks just a bit, I will say that this was a pretty darned awesome dish – rich, creamy, and luxurious, with a nice bit of sweetness from the pancetta. Mike brought home a bottle of Schloss Koblenz Trittenheimer Altarchen Kabinett Riesling to drink with dinner, and while the it was a bit sweet for my taste on its own, it was a wonderful match with the risotto, the richness of the dish bringing out the bright citrusy notes in the wine.
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looks delicious, how did you poach the yolks?
Hi Simon – I basically followed Derrick’s lead, separating the yolks from the whites, placing them into their own individual little ramekins, then gently pouring them into plain simmering water. I left them in for about a minute before removing them with a slotted spoon and putting them on top of our bowls, but I think that was even too long – they probably just needed a few moments to warm up. The yolks were still runny inside, which was great, but the outsides got a little milky looking.
oh. my. god. I want a bowl of that right now. Despite the fact that I ate risotto three times last week…
Sometimes if there’s leftover risotto in the house, for breakfast I’ll pan fry a lump of it so it gets nice and crusty, then I’ll plop a fried egg on top. But I really like the idea of the bacon-and-egg combo for dinner, with all the parts soft and running together. Yum!
I just love that you call your kitchen Chez Dietschyblossom! Soo cute. I think eggs atop risotto sounds perfect, but I can do without the bacon
Well, you’ve got my version beat. Parmesan butter, chives, creme fraiche. Mmm.
if i was ever going to eat my weight in cholestral and fat – this would be the way to do it! decadent but worth every morsel of risotto. that looks truly amazing jennifer. wow. my kind of food – again and again.
Freida – you know, as often as I cook risotto, I have still not made risotto cakes with the leftovers! I’ll definitely have to try it.
Hillary – the egg yolk on there is a wonderful addition – I’d say definitely try it.
Derrick – I think we’re all winners here.
The Parm butter is pretty cool – the guy we usually buy from (Consider Bardwell) was out of butter at the market on Saturday, so I asked Mike to pick something up in the city. I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as the parm butter before he brought it home!
claudia – completely decadent, but what a way to splurge!
better than pig testicles… for SURE !!!
This is definitely right up my alley and going on my ‘to make’ list.
Oh!
My!
Giddy!
Aunt!!!
When, oh when will someone market drool-proof computer screens. I just made an awful mess.
Hi brilynn and pg – welcome! I’d definitely encourage you to try this dish. It’s delicious.
mmm! Looks great – can’t wait to try this.
I started using vermouth for risottos after I read about it in a Jaimie Oliver book, and it’s my norm now. I love the aroma. Wow – my stomach is growling!
Hi eva! I really like the complexity that vermouth has – I probably use it more often than white wine now!
Add an egg or two to leftover risotto; form a cup-like shape with a tablespoon or so of this in one hand, tuck in a mozzarrella “bocconcino” and a shred of prosciutto, spoon more risotto on to enclose, roll in panko and deep fry in olive oil. Death on a plate, but what a way to go.
Or: butter the inside of a ramekin, coat with bread crumbs, fill half way with risotto, bocconcino and prosciutto as above, more risotto, bake 15-20 minutes at 375° F., serve with leftover Ragù Bolognese in which you’ve simmered some fresh peas.
You can learn a lot from Lidia, as Groucho sang long ago…
What a gorgeous photo! I think you poached the egg perfectly – I love how it spills into the rice yet still retains its shape.
rootlesscosmo – ah, Lidia. I’m a big fan.
Both of those methods for leftover risotto sound just wonderful.
Jaden – thank you! I might try leaving the yolk in the water just a few seconds less next time, but all in all, I was happy with the results for my first attempt.
I made this the other night, and it’s so so good. Then I went back to this post and saw that we served it the same way, with chives (and also pancetta instead of bacon as that’s what I had). The poached egg yolk is wonderful on top! Thanks for the inspiration