Avgolemono

This post is dedicated to Anna's sister, Kelly - who introduced her to this fine soup at a Greek restaurant in Tampa where they throw napkins and dance every hour on the hour!  Fantastic!

Avgolemono is a traditional Greek soup that translates to egg-lemon - and that's just what it is!  A simple stock with chicken or without, rice, and a lemon-egg mixture stirred in at the end. It's tasty, refreshing and easy to make!  Adjust accordingly to make vegetarian with vegetable stock and egg substitute!

AVGOLEMONO! 
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and also chopped fine
2 bay leaves
8 cups chicken stock (or water with stock cubes - or homemade stock!)
2/3 cup Arborio rice
3 eggs
6 lemons
salt to taste

Chop the onion, celery and carrots.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot to medium high and toss in the chopped veggies and bay leaves. Sweat down for 10-15 minutes until the bottom of the pan begins to brown a bit.

Add chicken stock and simmer for 45 minutes - to an hour. Then strain the veggie mixture from the soup, pressing against the sides of the strainer to get all of the extra juice!


Add the rice and simmer until cooked, about 25-30 minutes.






Whisk together the juice of six lemons and 3 eggs.

Temper the egg lemon mixture with soup by adding one ladle full of soup into the egg lemon bowl, whisking constantly. Add another ladle full to the egg lemon mixture then add the contents of the small bowl into the pot and whisk to incorporate. Serve warm!

Serve with fresh parsley or dill on top and a side of warm bread and a salad.  :)  You can make this recipe even creamier by adding some plain Greek yogurt!  If making yo chicken broth, add the chicken or if you're a vegetarian/vegan using vegetable broth, add some tofu to make it a heartier meal instead of a starter dish.  Let your imagination run wild!

This recipe is perfect for a sore throat.  Take it from us (we have BOTH been overwhelmed and out of commission these last few weeks having been hit with everything going around!).