This mantra of 'if a little is good, then a lot is better' led to my downfall as an undergraduate Chemistry student. Fondly I recall my Chemistry lab experiments at Uni where I often shamelessly pipetted too much hydrochloric acid, or other type of acid, into a solution and remaining agog at the toxic gases produced. I even had my supervisors bewildered with the mysterious reactions that were occurring in the incubators of which I presided. Invariably there was smoke, there were menacing hissing noises, dubious smells, dangerously overheated test-tubes, holes in my lab coat ...Alas, I was not a highly sought after lab partner!
But I'm learning that sometimes it is best to do as little as possible, add as little as possible to a dish and the results can be absolutely sensational. Like this avgolemono, from Stephanie Alexander's the cooks companion - a Greek lemon-egg soup which needs to be served straight after cooking. It is certainly not one of those soups that can be reheated and served later as it tends to go gluggy. This has to be one of my favourite soups. And please, do not even think about buying the cartoned chicken stock! Quelle horreur!! Serves 4....
1.5 litres home made Chicken stock
90g long grain rice
3 large eggs
juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper
Bring stock to simmering point. Adjust seasoning and drop in rice. Simmer for 15 mins until rice is cooked.
Beat eggs and lemon juice vigorously (or use hand held mixer) till frothy. Add a ladleful of hot stock to egg mixture and continue to whisk..Remove stock from heat and allow to cool for 2 -3 mins.
Swiftly tip in egg mixture, whisking to mix well. Taste again for salt and pepper. Serve at once.
That bowl is awesome.
ReplyDelete