Avgolemono - Egg-Lemon Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken
2 ribs of celery
1 carrot
1 small bunch of parsley, stalks on
1 brown onion, halved
1 teaspoon peppercorns
3 litres of water (approx)
1 chicken or vegetable cube
2 cups white rice
4 eggs, at room temperature 3 lemons, juiced
METHOD
1. Place the chicken and veg in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a medium heat. Simmer until the chicken has cooked through.
2. Remove the chicken into a bowl and leave it to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve into another large pot and place on a medium-high heat. Add the chicken or vegetable cube, stir until it dissolves.
3. Add the washed rice, give it a little stir and let it simmer until the rice is ready. When the rice is cooked, take the pot off the heat. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and beat the eggs and lemon juice in a separate bowl.
4. Now it’s time to temper the mixture. Slowly add a ladle of broth into the egg mixture with one hand while vigorously whisking at the same time with the other. Do this 2-3 times.
5. While the pot is still off the heat, slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup and stir gently. Pop the pot back on a medium heat and stir until it reaches a gentle bubble. Season with as much salt and cracked black pepper as you like.
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A comforting chicken soup that is very well known and loved in the Cypriot household. Either when you’re unwell, have just come home after a flight or when you just need a big bowl of comfort and a warm hug. Which, after talking to many of you yesterday, it sounds like we all need one. Things are overwhelming and it’s ok not to feel ok. Keep seeking balance, eat well, be kind to yourself and everyone else and spend time with your close ones.
We all know chicken soup is good for the soul and it's a nostalgic universal dish. Sharing this recipe is my way of giving you guys a virtual hug.
The trickiest part of the soup is pouring a couple of ladles of the hot broth into the beaten eggs while vigorously whisking at the same time. This is to avoid scrambling the eggs when you pour it into the hot soup. When it comes to the rice, you can use any white rice really. I’ve used long-grain, medium-grain and I’ve even made it with rice pudding rice (how my Yiayia Loula used to like it). You can also choose to make it as thick as you like by adding more or less rice. Have I said rice enough times?
