TRADITIONAL EGG LEMON SOUP - Avgolemono

This is a zesty and tasty traditional soup which has plenty of umami flavour. Its is quick and easy to prepare, perfect for those cold evenings or when your feeling like some comfort food. This is made throughout Greece and Cyprus and consists of broth made with eggs, stock and lemon juice and thickened with rice. Its appearance resembles rice pudding but is something entirely different.

Avgolemono soup is Low Fat, Low Calorie but packed full of Vitamin C, Anti-oxidants, Magnesium, and is a good source of slow release carbohydrate. Because of this it’s perfect “pick me up” for a cold day when you need a hearty nourishing dish that’s easy to prepare. This rings so true that’s it notorious with family and friends for being the soup you make when your feeling under the weather.

When making the soup it’s best to use white rice. You can use whole grain rice but the starchiness of the white rice thickens the broth so you may need to add more rice to make up for this. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is also best used for this as many lemon supplements or dressings are artificial flavourings or watered down versions of a concentrate. Because this dish relies on the full lemony flavour to cut through the creamy stock you will appreciate using fresh.

The soup is vegetarian (prepared using vegetable stock) and only takes 30 minutes to prepare! You can have the soup as prepared alone or serve it with some leftover shredded chicken or with some diced halloumi. 

I always remember walking into my Yiayia’s kitchen when she used to make this for dinner and there would be a whole chicken on the hob boiling away which she would use use to provide the stock for the soup and the chicken would be carved up to serve with it later. I initially thought this was just the way she made it but many people I speak to recall this way of making it.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Large free range eggs
• 300g Long grain rice
• 3 Stock cubes (chicken or vegetable) dissolved in 1.5ltrs of hot water
• 3 Lemons juiced (~150ml)
• 75 ml Lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp Table salt
• 1 tsp White pepper

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

• Shredded chicken breast
• Cubed halloumi

METHOD

In a large pan add 1.5 litres of water and the three stock cubes on a high heat to dissolve and bring to the boil.

Whilst the water is heating, place the rice in a sieve and quickly rinse under cold water. This is just to wash the rice a little and you don’t want to do it too long as you want some of the starchiness to be kept in the rice.

Once the pan is brought to a boil reduce to a medium heat and add the rice. Simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Once this has cooked take the rice off the heat and leave aside while you prepare the egg. . . 

In a large 1 litre jug add the 3 eggs lemon juice salt and pepper and whisk up until roughly combined.

Now it’s time to temper and warm the egg mix . . 

To do this bring the jug close to the pan to prevent spillages (there will be some). With a ladle scoop to warm stock water from the top of the rice and slowly add it to the eggs whilst mixing. Keep doing this until you have a full jug of warm egg mixture. *Be careful not to do this too fast as you will start to get bits of solidified cooked egg bobbing up in the mixture.

Reversing what you have just done slowly add the warmed egg mixture back to the pan stirring while you do this. You should now how an opaque creamy coloured soup.

Add the soup back to a low heat whilst stirring this. The soup should thicken as you do. Once the soup starts to bubble take off the heat. Its done!

Serve the soup into bowls and top with your choice of topping or enjoy with a nice crusty roll.

* Handy hint to check the rice is cooked through: I usually take a grain off the spoon and press lightly with a finger against a hard surface. If the grain mashes or spreads it’s cooked. If it still remains mostly solid it need more cooking 👍.