Recipe #270: Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)

Happy 4th birthday to my blog!  Here's the first of three new recipes for the day to celebrate!

I found this one in a cookbook my grandma gave me- The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.  I was really surprised at how filling this soup was.  I loved the lemon flavor and the little extra the orzo adds to it.  It would make 2 large bowls or 4 small bowls of soup.  I served it with little olive bread loaves I found at Heinen's.

INGREDIENTS:

1 quart chicken broth (I used unsalted)
1/2 cup orzo
2 large eggs
Juice from one large lemon
1tsp lemon zest
Sea salt and white pepper
Chopped dill, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add orzo; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, or until orzo is al dente.

In a bowl, beat eggs until thick.  Whisk in lemon juice and zest.  Gradually add 1/2 cup hot broth from the sauce pan, whisking constantly.  Do this twice more.

Pour mixture back into the saucepan and reheat, stirring constantly, until egg cooks and soup thickens slightly.  Do not boil, or eggs will curdle.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with dill.  Serve hot or cold.