Lunch - Dinner

Greek Avgolemono Egg Soup

The Greek food community has been making an egg-enriched soup for hundreds, if not thousands of years. In this version, the traditional lemon soup is fortified with roasted kabocha squash, kale and brown rice to make it a heartier version that can make it a meal.

A final sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds adds some welcome crunchy texture. The squash can be added to each bowl to retain its texture or added to the soup itself and stirred in.

Ingredients

64 oz. / 2 qt. rich, flavorful chicken or vegetable broth
salt and ground black pepper, as needed
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 - 3 oz. / 4 - 6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 large Dakota Layers egg yolks
2 large Dakota Layers eggs
4 - 6 cups kale, roughly chopped
2 tsp. lemon zest

Garnishes

2 cups roasted kabocha squash, bite/spoon-size chunks
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
ground black pepper, as needed

Instructions

Heat stock in large pot. Season generously with salt and pepper, as it will be diluted with all other ingredients
Transfer 2 to 3 cups of hot broth to a blender with 1 cup of cooked rice. Puree until smooth.
As blender is running, carefully add lemon juice, then eggs and egg yolks, and puree until incorporated.
Slowly whisk this mixture back into hot broth.
Add kale and remaining rice. Bring up to gentle simmer and cook, stirring often until it thickens into a creamy soup. This can take from 2 to 10 minutes, depending upon temperature, soup quantity, and intensity of heat source. If it gets too thick, thin soup with additional stock. Note: As soup sits hot, it will thicken slightly. Thin and adjust seasoning as needed.
Add lemon zest, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed.
Squash (see garnishes) can be added into soup now or added to each bowl at service.

Assembly/Service