Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Avgole-nono Soup

There is a very simple and delicious Greek soup called Avgolemono. It's a beautiful blend of chicken stock, a lemon and egg sauce, and rice. Today's soup is Avgolemono's bastard child, Avgole-nono. It was born of a desire to elevate a chicken veggie soup and a lazy resistance to making rice.

Ingredients
Chicken stock (I didn't measure because I made it from scratch, I think about 8 cups)
2 cups chicken, chopped
6 carrots, washed and chopped (not peeled)
4 stalks celery, chopped
1.5 cups orzo
2 eggs
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
dill
kosher salt
white pepper
Stock from scratch - carcass, one onion sliced in half with skin on, celery flakes, kosher salt
Directions
Boil stock, carrots and celery. Add a bit of kosher salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add orzo and chicken and bring to a boil again. Boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes.

When you put the orzo in, crack two eggs in a bowl and set aside. After the soup has been sitting for 30 minutes, beat eggs until frothy. Add juice of lemons. Get a ladle full of broth and add slowly to egg and lemon mixture to temper it, mixing constantly. Stir sauce into soup, add zest of one lemon, and turn heat back on, stirring frequently to incorporate. Add some more kosher salt and dill to taste.

The egg lemon mixture elevates it a little, making it smooth and lovely.

Soup tip: if your rice or pasta in a soup sucks up all of your liquid, you can always add more stock at the end - rice and pasta tend to absorb it so there are plenty of times a day or two after I make it I'm adding more stock! 

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Haikuesday
Smooth, velvety soup.
Similar to blue suede shoes?
Elvis would approve.
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19 comments:

  1. this sounds delicious, I'm definitely pinning this to make at some point this winter.

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  2. I'm the worst at making soup - something about not adding enough water or salt or something is always off!! I'm going to share this with my mom since she can actually make soup LOL!

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  3. This looks fabulous! I want it in a week or two - too hot now for it. Well, my weekends are also booked up too so I won't have the time just yet. I guess that is a fun problem to have :)

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  4. Love that Haiku! It does not feel like soup weather today, but those days are coming.Amen on the pasta and rice sopping up any liquid or sauce. This blog goes right in my recipe folder.

    Soup is a soul soother
    give to whoever needs some
    It they don't have a soul, they will

    Humid as the tropics today! I'll take it.

    Love, Your MOMMA

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  5. I have been on a soup kick lately. This one sounds really different. I think it might be one only for me. Which is totally fine.

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  6. We have a small Greek spot right by my work, and I love to order a Greek salad and a side of this soup! Though I have never made it at home...I may need to change this!

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  7. I've never heard of this soup before but it sounds delicious!

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  8. One of my best girlfriends is Greek... they make this soup and I freaking love it! Reminds me of all of the little Greek diners we had in Detroit growing up. Yummmm

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  9. I really need to try out a good soup recipe. I've never heard of avgolemono soup but this one looks really good and healthy.

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  10. I have never tried the traditional Greek soup before at our local restaurant because the lemon scared me away. I like lemon things but I wasnt sure about the soup part. Now that I look through your recipe, I think I need to try it!

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  11. Ewwww carcass. I say if you make it I'll eat it or I would have to use pre-made stock because I am a wimp. Woohoo for S*it MFD says!

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  12. Home-made chicken stock...impressive! That is something on my to try list. This soup sounds really good! I've been craving soup, and it is on the meal plan for next week.

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  13. Oooo. I'd try it. The word carcass makes me laugh.

    But I'd buy chicken stock, because I'm a lazy ass in the kitchen.

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  14. yum! I have been wanting to make my own stock because I go through it so much!

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  15. I've never heard of this type of soup before, but I'm intrigued!! Saving it for sure! :)

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  16. This looks delish, I always love a good soup recipe :)

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  17. yum! I order it every time I eat Greek, it's my favorite. This looks like an awesome at home substitute!

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  18. Question: What's the difference between stock and broth? Pete and I were wondering that the other day and this just reminded me!

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  19. i have never heard of this before!! and now i must try it!

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