Yiouvarelakia - Meatball Soup with Egg & Lemon Sauce

Cook Time 1 hour (plus 1 hr refrigeration)

Servings makes 2L

Ingredients

1kg minced beef

2 small onions, finely grated

1½ cups of medium grain rice (½ cup to cook in the stock)

4 eggs (3 for the egg-lemon sauce)

4 tbsp olive oil (2 to go into the stock or water)

4 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2L of beef stock or water

3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

¼ tsp allspice

1 tsp salt

Pepper, freshly ground

Method

Combine the minced beef, 1 egg, onion, 1 cup rice, herbs and olive oil in a large bowl, and season with allspice, salt and pepper. Knead briefly and refrigerate for an hour.

Roll the beef mixture into small balls. Set aside.

Pour the stock or water into a large pan. Add the oil, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Add the meatballs a few at a time to avoid lowering the temperature.

Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the Yiouvarelakia for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat and rice are cooked.

Add ½ cup of rice to the soup and cook until tender. Meanwhile, separate the 3 remaining eggs and beat the whites to soft peaks.

Beat in the yolks then add the lemon juice. Beat in a ladleful of the hot stock, then gradually stir the mixture back into the soup.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and serve the soup sprinkled with freshly ground pepper.