Egging me on

Sorry for the long break, I guess I ran out of puff after a breakneck posting pace to start the year. The good news is I just got back from three weeks visiting D. in the United Kingdom and feel re-energized for food and cooking, and so I hope to have some regular content coming at you soon. In the meantime, here's a recipe that was sitting in my drafts since March. Even though its a product of the Winter That Wouldn't End, it's bright and light enough to be perfect for spring. Great for dinner or as a starter.

Avgolemono (Greek lemon soup)

Makes about 4 to 6 servings

4 cups chicken stock

¾ cups white rice

2 large eggs

Juice of 1 lemon

1 or 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (optional)

Salt and pepper

Chopped parsley

In a medium pot, heat stock to boiling. Stir in rice and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Meanwhile, separate eggs, reserving whites for another use. Whisk yolks together, then start adding hot stock from the pot, ¼ Cup at a time, whisking continuously, until you have added about 1 cup hot stock (mixture should be hot. This step ensures the eggs don’t curdle).

Add hot egg mixture to pot with rice and stir. Add chicken, if using, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings (feel free to add more lemon juice to taste), ladle soup into bowls, and sprinkle with parsley and serve.