Pearl-like sushi rice cooks up slightly moist and sticky, so it forms a cake easily. Chilling the cakes before browning helps them hold their shape.
Rice cakes can be shaped 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered after 15 minutes. Allow 2 to 5 minutes longer to cook. The eggs in this recipe will not be fully cooked, which may of concern if salmonella is a problem in your area.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 1/2 hr
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse rice in a large fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, then drain well, tapping sieve. Combine rice, 1 1/4 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
Step 2
While rice is standing, trim scallion and cut diagonally into very thin slices.
Step 3
Stir rice from bottom to top. Lightly butter a metal 1-cup measure. Firmly pack enough rice in measure with a rubber spatula to fill measure halfway. (If spatula becomes sticky, dip in water.) Invert measure onto a buttered plate, then tap measure to unmold rice. Repeat with remaining rice, rebuttering measure each time, to make 4 disks total. Chill disks, uncovered, at least 15 minutes.
Step 4
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat until foam subsides. Add rice disks and cook, rotating each once for even browning, until undersides are pale golden, about 8 to 10 minutes, then turn cakes over and add 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet, swirling to melt butter. Cook, rotating each cake once, until golden, about 5 minutes more, and transfer to plates.
Step 5
Increase heat to high and add 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet, then brown bacon, turning over once, about 2 minutes total. Place 2 slices bacon on each rice cake.
Step 6
Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and heat remaining tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Crack eggs one by one into skillet. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper total and fry until whites are cooked and yolks begin to set, 2 to 4 minutes.
Step 7
Place 1 egg on each rice cake stack and sprinkle with scallion.
