Egg and Lemon Soup / Soúpa Avgolémono

Delicate egg and lemon soup is probably the number-one soup in Greece. Be careful to add the hot broth slowly to the eggs, beating all the while.The extra effort will be well worth it!

3 10½-oz. cans (about 4 c.) chicken broth
¹/₃ c. rice, uncooked
2 eggs
4 tbsp. lemon juice
4 thin slices lemon for garnish
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Turn down heat. Add rice and stir.
2. Cover pan and simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until rice is tender.*
3. While rice is cooking, beat eggs and lemon juice together with a wire whisk. Set aside.
4. When rice is cooked, remove pan from heat.
5. Carefully add 2 c. hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly. (If you add the broth too quickly or don’t keep whisking, the eggs will curdle).
6. Add the egg mixture to the remaining broth and rice and whisk together.
7. Serve in soup bowls with a thin slice of lemon and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley floating on top.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

*For a creamy variation, add ½ c. heavy cream after step 2.