Serves 6
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
Salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
Vegetable oil spray
6 large eggs
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Cook bacon in medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer leeks to plate with bacon.
Melt butter in now-empty pan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half-and-half; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly. Simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in bacon-leek mixture, Gruyère, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne.
Lightly spray six 6-ounce ramekins with oil spray. Evenly divide bacon-leek filling among ramekins. Using back of spoon, push filling 1 inch up sides of ramekins. Place filled ramekins in 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish. Bake until filling just starts to brown, about 7 minutes.
Remove baking dish with ramekins from oven and place on wire rack. Quickly crack eggs into hot ramekins, centering yolk in ramekin. Spray surface of each egg with oil spray. Return baking dish to oven and bake until whites are almost done, but still a little jiggly, 8-10 minutes.
Remove baking dish from oven and, using oven mitts, transfer ramekins to wire rack. Let stand until whites are firm and set (yolks should still be runny), about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
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