Shaker Gourmet: Avgolemono

Our recipe this week comes from Shaker Theriomorph, who says: "Good for the respiratory system, the soul, the heart, and probably the mind, too. Anecdata says it can also cure cramps, broken hearts, and pneumonia."

Avgolemono (Greek egg-lemon soup)
around 50 oz chicken broth (6 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
5 egg yolks
fresh parsley
some fresh thyme leaves
fresh ground black pepper to outside limit of tolerance
5 tablespoons brown rice*

Put the rice and thyme in the broth and cook for 40 minutes or so (bring to boil, turn down to simmer).

Whip the egg yolks until they go pale; add the lemon juice to them slowly, while stirring.

Chop up a few large handfuls of fresh parsley & set aside.

Add spoonfuls of the hot broth to the egg mixture, while stirring (so you raise the temperature of the eggs slowly enough not to separate them). When the egg mixture is steaming, add it into the broth-pot and stir for a few minutes (thickens up slightly, not much but keep it stirred so the egg mixture and the broth fully mix).

Garnish at the last minute with fistfuls of fresh parsley and as much black pepper as your lungs/sinuses need/can tolerate. If you're not sick & eating it just because it's yummy, go lighter on the pepper.

It's good amped up with diced chicken for extra protein, too, and not bad made with vegetarian broth (though I can't vouch for its healing effects with less protein).

*use Chinese forbidden rice for a nutty (and PURPLE!) version. Forbidden rice only needs about 30 minutes of simmer. I usually find it in the local co-op, or you can find it online.

If you'd like to participate in Shaker Gourmet, email me (include a blog link!) at: shakergourmet (at) gmail.com