Greek Avgolemono Soup

Greek Avgolemono Soup

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I tried to winkle the recipe out of Aristo for this pastel yellow, citrus-scented soup at his restaurant near the U of U, but he wouldn’t give in.  I got advice from a Greek woman in the waiting room at the eye doctor’s office where we were both waiting. So, this is as close as I could come to Aristo's soup. The carrots in his soup looked like little flecks of confetti.

Avgolemono is a good soup to use up leftover thanksgiving turkey.  You can make the broth for it after Thanksgiving dinner—simply simmer the turkey bones for about an hour with an onion, some celery and a carrot in a huge pot with about 4 quarts of water.  Store strained broth in ½ gallon glass bottles in the fridge (I like 3-liter Fido brand glass jars with a clamp lid).

Avgolemono means “eggs and lemon”. Can be made without chicken or turkey.

½ C fresh lemon juice
8 C chicken or turkey broth (homemade is best)
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 medium carrot, shredded on large holes of grater, then chopped in blender, or very finely minced
1 C chopped cooked chicken or turkey (optional) leftover from making broth
½ C white rice (or orzo pasta)
4 egg yolks
1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish

1.     In a large saucepan, combine homemade broth, lemon juice & pepper. Bring to a boil and add rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Add carrots and simmer for 5 more minutes, until rice and carrots are tender.

2.     Add chicken and heat through.

3.     Add egg yolks to medium mixing bowl, and whisk well (reserve whites to make meringue desserts p. ?).

4.     Remove 1-cup soup and gradually whisk into egg yolks.  Whisk well for one minute.  Stir back into soup, but do not let boil or eggs will curdle.

5.     To serve, ladle into bowls & garnish w/ small lemon slices.

Optional:  stir in ¼ C butter after eggs have been stirred in.  Garnish with minced fresh dill.