Avgolemono Soup (Greek Egg and Lemon Soup)


A bit of a shorter post today to the usual lengthy ramblings I tend to subject you to here on the Greek Vegetarian blog. With only 8 days to go before Tony and I leave for Greece, it's been a bit hectic trying to get everything organised before we leave, and our efforts to reduce our respective piles of work have left us feeling a bit frazzled!


And it's not just the craziness of work. The weather this week has been totally crazy too. The wind outside is so violent the trees are almost spinning around, and the rain is hurtling directly at my window. Birds are struggling to fly forward, showers of debris are landing in our back yard, and I could have sworn I just saw a branch torpedoing across the sky.

The mountain of work on my desk at the moment would form a spectacular tornado if I were to toss it outside right now. Please, can I do that? Oh what I would do to have no work in this final week before we leave for Greece!

Melbourne's current blast of revolting winter weather is perfect for one thing only: Soup. And oh, didn't I say a few days ago that my next post would be a soup? Well how about that :)


Avgolemono (meaning egg and lemon in Greek) is the name used to describe both a sauce and a soup. The soup is made with rice, the sauce without. Both the soup and sauce are often served with poached chicken or fish, but today's recipe is Avgolemono soup in its simplest form – meatless and delicious.

Light and frothy with a lemony tang, Avgolemono soup is surprisingly heart-warming on a freezing cold day. There are only four ingredients in vegetarian Avgolemono soup – eggs, lemon, vegetable stock and rice – and it's quick and fun to prepare, so let's go!


Avgolemono Soup (Greek Egg and Lemon Soup)


Serves 4–6

Ingredients

  • 6 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup long grain white rice
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Bring the stock to the boil and add rice. Simmer until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, beat eggs whites until soft peaks form.
  3. Slowly add lightly beaten egg yolks, continuing to beat at high speed.
  4. With beater still running, drizzle lemon juice into egg mixture, then add a cup or so of the hot stock to temper the eggs. Try not to let too much rice fall into the egg mixture at this stage.
  5. Transfer the egg mixture into the pot of stock and rice, and stir until combined. To retain a frothy top layer, don't over stir the mixture.
  6. Serve immediately with a generous grinding of freshly cracked black pepper.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Greek pickled calamari (καλαμαρι τουρσι )

Image
I love making a range of Greek style pickles - called toursi (τουρσί) in Greek. They are especially great in summertime, when after a day spent at the beach you get that urge for a chilled ouzo and meze. It's so nice to know that you have little jars of toursi tucked away in the fridge or the pantry and the only effort required is opening the jar! The pickle recipe I am sharing today is for calamari toursi (καλαμάρι τουρσί). It makes for a great meze spread with a little feta dusted with riagni, some simple fava (a yellow split pea dip) topped with sweet red onion and capers - and a little fresh, crispy salad on the side, such as a purslane and marinated olives. Pop open the jar of calamari and in minutes you have some lovely mezethes to enjoy with a chilled ouzo in the garden on a warm, dusky summer evening. If you skip the feta you also have a Greek Orthodox fasting friendly meal for those few weeks before Christmas - or Easter. If you are interested in making other Greek style p...
Read more

Tastes of Cyprus – An Interview and a Recipe

Image
According to Greek Mythology, the island of Cyprus takes its name from the goddess Aphrodite, which makes the island her own special abode. I have never been to Cyprus, though I have heard of its natural beauty, and I do have a number of Cypriot friends. Toronto has a sizable Cypriot community, and over the years, I have had a chance to learn something about their ways and means. I have also had a chance to sample some of their foods. A table filled with Cypriot and Greek food specialties There are many similarities between the foods of Greece and Cyprus, but there are notable differences too. At the invitation of the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Stavros Avgoustides, I had a chance to sample some specialties of that island nation. Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the annual cutting of the Vasilopita at the Cypriot Consulate in Toronto. It was a small, intimate affair which included family members of the consulate staff, the consul general and staff from...
Read more

Nafplio: a guide

Image
It is nearly impossible to describe in words just how much I love the Peloponnese. Nafplio is indeed one if its gems and among one of the most romantic towns in Greece. Geographically located on the eastern side of Peloponnese and only 2 hours drive from Athens, this is a popular weekend destination. The Old Town is a marvel to walk around with elegant neoclassical mansions and large squares, while on the hill above the Old Town is a fortress castle dating from the Venetian ages. There are some incredible beaches located nearby (even the town beach is excellent) and the Old Town is host to plenty of fabulous restaurants, tavernas, cafés, art galleries and museums. The twice weekly local farmers market is also a real delight and not to be missed. Getting there There are no airports near Nafpilo, but it is an easy 2 hour bus ride from Athens. There are regular buses from Athens to Nafplio every day. Buses from Athens depart from Kifissos KTEL Bus Station very frequently, about 4-5 times ...
Read more