“Avgolemono” means egg (avgo) and lemon, and it is a technique used in many Greek dishes to thicken but also flavour a liquid cooking medium, like a broth. This soup is a vegetarian alternative to the traditional soup we eat on Easter Saturday night "Magiritsa", which features livers and intestines and essentially marks the end of the fasting period.
I will describe the technique and give indicative quantities in the note at the end:
Broth
Use the mushroom stems, celery stalks, parsley and other herb stems, onion, bay leaves, whatever you use in a vegetable stock. Simmer for 30 minutes and drain. Discard solids. Start with about 4 lt of water and quite a lot of vegetables, the more the merrier, the flavour will be more intense. You can keep remaining stock for a few days in the fridge and several months in the freezer.
Mushrooms
In a very hot non-stick pan, with very little oil, or not at all if your pan is good, sear the mushrooms for 1 – 2 minutes. This is an important step for both texture and flavour so do not bypass it. If using oil, drain well on kitchen paper.
For the soup sauté in a pot over medium to high heat:
Leek, thinly cut
Fennel, thinly cut
for a few minutes and then add:
Garlic, thinly cut
before deglazing:
White wine
Add the stock and seared mushrooms, turn heat down, put a lid on and simmer for about 30 minutes. In the last minute of the cook add:
White cabbage, in thin strips
Spring onion, in thin rounds
“Avgolemono”
I will describe the easiest way to make it, but keep in mind that there are various alternatives. Whisk the:
Eggs
in a bowl and add the:
Lemon juice.
Take half a cup of the soup liquid and slowly add to the bowl whisking constantly. Return the egg-lemon-soup mixture to the pot (that should be on very low heat, or not at all if too hot, it takes some experience to know the right temperature), slowly and whisking constantly to avoid splitting. After a few minutes it should start to thicken and turn white. If you have too much liquid in the soup you might need to use corn flour to fully bring it together. When ready add chopped parsley and dill, and adjust seasoning, with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if necessary.
NOTE : Quantities are indicative of 3 generous portions:
1 kg white button mushrooms cut in 1,5 cm thickness, or even better to mix 500 gr white button with 500 gr of any other or more than one variety.
Leek, 1 large
Fennel, 1 small
Garlic, 3 cloves
White Wine, 1/3 cup
Stock, about 2 lt, it will depend on the size pf the pot you will use. You don’t not want too much liquid, so it is best to start with less, just enough to cover the mushrooms and add gradually if it looks like it is drying out.
Cabbage, ½ small
Spring Onions, 5 stalks
Eggs, 2 pcs
Lemon Juice, start with 50 ml, and adjust at the end.
(Corn Flour, 1-2 tbsp)