Giouvarlakia (Greek Meatball Soup)

Ingredients:

1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef

1/4 cup round grain rice, uncooked

1 medium onion, very finely minced

2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

1 medium egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For the soup

4 cups (1 litre) water

2 large eggs Juice of

2 medium lemons Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Methods:

Start by making the meatballs. Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix until everything is well incorporated and you have a smooth mixture. Form meatballs with your hands and place them on a platter or tray. Try to make them as equal in size as possible — use a cookie dough scoop if you like. Place the meatballs in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the water into a large pot or Dutch oven and bring it to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add the meatballs to the pot one by one. Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. While the meatballs are cooking, make the avgolemono sauce by whisking the eggs and lemon juice together in a bowl. When the meatballs are cooked, take 1-2 ladles of soup from the pot and mix it with the avgolemono to temper it. Add the mixture to the pot and simmer for 2-3 minutes without bringing it to a boil. Season to taste and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. The soup will thicken as it cools down.