Bacon and egg risotto

Ingredients

• 700ml (1¼ pints) chicken stock
• 15g (½ oz) butter
• 150g (5oz) bacon lardons
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 150g (5oz) risotto rice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 25g (1oz) grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs
• Pepper

Method

Heat the stock and keep it simmering gently while you cook the risotto. 

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sauté the bacon until golden all over, then stir in the onion. Cook on a medium heat until the onion is soft and pale gold. Add the rice, turn it over in the fat and juices, and cook for a couple of minutes until it is translucent.

Start to add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously while the rice is cooking. Don’t add any more stock until the last lot has been absorbed. 

The rice will eventually soften and become creamy, with just a little bite in the centre of each grain. It takes about 20-25 minutes. Season with pepper (you shouldn’t need any salt because of the bacon – and the stock becomes more intense as it reduces).

Stir in the parsley and half the Parmesan and check the seasoning. Cover and leave to rest while you quickly poach the eggs. 

Top each serving with a poached egg and add the remaining Parmesan on the side.

Cooking tip

Rather annoyingly I am using 700ml (1¼ pints) of stock here when those tubs you buy usually come in 500ml (17fl oz). But you can just make up the difference with water; as you are basically reducing the flavour of the stock while it cooks in the risotto, it will still taste great. Or you can make your own stock…

Read our tips for making the perfect poached egg.