A Geordie take on Avgolemono!

1.5L of asparagus stock*

0,5L of chicken stock

1/2 cooked chicken (I use a one from the market with the skin and bones removed and both the leg and breast meat diced)

A handful (1/2 mug) of long grained rice

2 large eggs

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp. of oregano

S&P to taste

Herbs to finish (chives)

Bring the 2 stocks together stir and take out a ladle full set aside

Add the skin and bones, bring to the boil for 10 minutes, grate in the lemon zest  and then remove the skin and bones with a slotted spoon, discard.

Now add the rice or rice noodles, cook until, well, cooked.

In the meantime whisk the egg and add the lemon juice

Take 2 ladles of hot soup and mix it with the cold soup that you have set aside (should be tepid). Dribble this into the egg/lemon mixture, whisking all of the time. Add this to the stock in the pan,

add the diced chicken,

Cook until it has thickened a little, add the herbs (oregano is nice, but so are any Mediterranean fresh herbs) taste and adjust the seasoning. Add some chives in a soup bowl and ladle in the hot soup. Serve with loads of fresh crusty bread.

*I cook my asparagus in a stock made from the peelings and off cuts from the asparagus and a good vegetable stock; this intensifies the flavours and can be frozen. It is great for making asparagus soup at a later date or as in this case adding another level to a time old soup “Avgolemono”, this I had in the 70s for the first time in Pathos (before it was built up).

NB Traditional Avgolemono used long grained rice and all chicken stock. Every Cypriot house hold or taverna has its own “real Avgolemono” made to a century old recipe, handed down by word of mouth from mother to daughter. I have heard this anecdotal piece of ballyhoo, applied to hundreds of recipes from many countries all over the world. Many accompanied with a curse or fear of death LoL. But it does sound nice.