Sunday's Dish - Avgolemeno

Greek soup using avgo - eggs & lemeno - lemons.

The traditional version incorporates all the bits and parts of the lamb, this version is a bit more approachable - using chicken.   My mama taught me how to make it when I was about 10.  I was the official "egg beater"  a very important job as you will see.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken stock

3 large chicken breasts - bone in, skin removed

3 stalks celery - finely diced

2 carrots - finely diced

1 large onion - finely diced

Juice of 4-5 lemons depending on how juicy they are

1/2 Cup Orzo

3 - 4 eggs depending on what size eggs you are using.

Pour chicken broth into a large stock pot and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat until the broth is simmering, add your diced veggies and your chicken breasts.  Allow to simmer until the veggies are soft and the chicken breasts are cooked through - about 20-30 minutes depending on how large the breast are.

While the chicken and veggies cook juice your lemons and set the juice aside. 

Then beat your eggs until frothy in a large bowl or over-sized measuring cup, set that aside as well.

Once the chicken is done remove it from the broth and transfer to a cutting board to cool.

Add the orzo to the pot and let the broth simmer until the orzo is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from the bone and shred or dice into bite size pieces.

Next, very slowly add your lemon juice to your eggs, beating the eggs the entire time.

Once the eggs and lemons are blended you will temper the mixture by slowly adding hot broth to the mixture one ladle full at a time.  Again, you'll need to beat the egg/lemon mixture the entire time you are adding the hot broth.  Once the egg/lemon mixture is close to the same temperature as your broth, remove the broth from the heat and pour in your tempered egg/lemon mixture into the pot.

Put the cut up chicken into the pot, cover it and let it sit for 10 -15 minutes.

Serve with a white wine of your choice and an abundance of crunchy French or sourdough bread with lots of butter.

Enjoy!

Greek soup using avgo - eggs & lemeno - lemons.

The traditional version incorporates all the bits and parts of the lamb, this version is a bit more approachable - using chicken.   My mama taught me how to make it when I was about 10.  I was the official "egg beater"  a very important job as you will see.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken stock

3 large chicken breasts - bone in, skin removed

3 stalks celery - finely diced

2 carrots - finely diced

1 large onion - finely diced

Juice of 4-5 lemons depending on how juicy they are

1/2 Cup Orzo

3 - 4 eggs depending on what size eggs you are using.

Pour chicken broth into a large stock pot and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat until the broth is simmering, add your diced veggies and your chicken breasts.  Allow to simmer until the veggies are soft and the chicken breasts are cooked through - about 20-30 minutes depending on how large the breast are.

While the chicken and veggies cook juice your lemons and set the juice aside. 

Then beat your eggs until frothy in a large bowl or over-sized measuring cup, set that aside as well.

Once the chicken is done remove it from the broth and transfer to a cutting board to cool.

Add the orzo to the pot and let the broth simmer until the orzo is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from the bone and shred or dice into bite size pieces.

Next, very slowly add your lemon juice to your eggs, beating the eggs the entire time.

Once the eggs and lemons are blended you will temper the mixture by slowly adding hot broth to the mixture one ladle full at a time.  Again, you'll need to beat the egg/lemon mixture the entire time you are adding the hot broth.  Once the egg/lemon mixture is close to the same temperature as your broth, remove the broth from the heat and pour in your tempered egg/lemon mixture into the pot.

Put the cut up chicken into the pot, cover it and let it sit for 10 -15 minutes.

Serve with a white wine of your choice and an abundance of crunchy French or sourdough bread with lots of butter.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Vanessa]

Hi, I love this recipe and thanks for terrific meatballs last night- YUM!

[Lobster Recipe]

Does the soup have a custardy texture to it, with the use of the eggs?

[Erinn]

Hi there Lobster Recipe,
Not so much a custardy texture, but defenitely creamy. You temper the egg lemon mixture very slowly using small amounts of hot broth, then you add the egg mixture, which has been brought to an equal temp as the broth, back to the pot. So the eggs never cook in that way.