Avgolemono Sauce

[Suvir Saran]

Research gal,

On the thread on Mezze, you mention this sauce as being served with grape leaves. What is it? How do you make it? Or can one buy it bottled?

[Brad S]

I hope it is not inapropraite to share links,

I thought I would share one of my recipes for avgolemono

http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/showthr...ight=avgolemono

[Jason Perlow]

Its a sauce made with egg yolks and lemons.

[Wilfrid]

I only know it as a soup. But why not a sauce too?

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks caped chef and Jason.

Wilfrid.. how is the soup different from the sauce? Or is it different? Maybe Jason or caped chef would know.

[Brad S]

From my friend Athenaues in Greece,

I quote "Avgolemono literally "egg-lemon"the Greek name of a charateristic E.

Mediterranean sauce. The Name in Aribic tarbiyaand Turkishterbiyaliterally means "treatment;improvement"

Avgolemono may be used either as a sauce for fish,lamb and vegetables(particarly artichokes)or as a flavoring in various casserole dishes and soups(which it also thickens)

The recipe is simple,lemon juice is whisked into beaten eggs and then hot cooking liquid(e.g. fish broth)is whisked into the mixture.The temperature of the added liqiud must be well below the boiling point,so that the egg will not coagulate.in some versions of the sauce cornflour is added,and some times the sauce is only made with egg yolks "

Where's apicius when I need him?

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks caped chef!

[researchgal]

Caped chef's friend nailed it. I've added cornstarch in the past and have found it interferes with the flavor, so I'd omit it. The only other thing I do that's not mentioned is once you have the beaten egg-lemon mixture I return it to a sauce pan and on very low heat wisk it continuously to really thicken it up. Then I pour it directly over the grapeleaves (that have previously been arranged) in a serving bowl. Deelish!

[Jason Perlow]

Suvir:

Avgolegmono (Avgo meaning egg, Legmono meaning lemon) is a very common flavor used in greek cooking. It is both a sauce, it is also a soup if used as a sort of egg-drop soup in chicken broth and fresh lemon juice, usually with orzo pasta in it.

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks Jason!

What language are we talking here? I know very little about Greek food. Even though I have lived in a Greek household in Astoria for almost two months.

Shame on me!