Fish-Soup Avgolemono

Name: Fish-Soup Avgolemono
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 medium onion, cut into a ¼-inch dice; 2 celery stalks, cut into a ¼-inch dice; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 2 cloves); 1 quart fish or seafood broth, such as Aneto or Bar Harbor; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup fresh juice, and more juice to taste; 0.5 cup jasmine rice; 1 large egg, plus 2 large yolks; 1.25 pounds skinless white-fish fillet, such as halibut or cod, quartered; Fresh herbs, such as dill and chopped chives, for serving

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By

Greg Lofts

Updated on September 14, 2021

fish-soup avgolemono served with fresh herbs — Photo: Christopher Testani

Prep Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

4

Avgolemono is the velvety egg-lemon-rice soup with a history in Greece, Arabia, Italy, Turkey, and the Balkans. For this streamlined take on the classic fish version that involves cooking a whole halibut, we used a quality store bought fish broth and chunks of fillets instead.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, cut into a ¼-inch dice
2 celery stalks, cut into a ¼-inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 2 cloves)
1 quart fish or seafood broth, such as Aneto or Bar Harbor
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup fresh juice, and more juice to taste
½ cup jasmine rice
1 large egg, plus 2 large yolks
1 ¼ pounds skinless white-fish fillet, such as halibut or cod, quartered
Fresh herbs, such as dill and chopped chives, for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium. Add onion and celery, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent but not developing color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Add broth, 2 cups water, lemon zest, and rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a blender, purée egg, yolks, and lemon juice until pale and doubled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to lowest setting; remove feed-tube cap from lid. Slowly and carefully ladle about 2 cups of soup into blender (be sure to include a combination of broth and rice). Return cap to blender lid, increase speed to high, and blend until very smooth and frothy.
Generously season fish with salt and pepper. Add to soup and simmer over medium-low heat just until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir egg mixture into soup, breaking up fish into bite-size pieces. Season and add more lemon juice to taste, 1 teaspoon at a time. Serve topped with herbs and a drizzle of oil.

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, October 2021