Youvarlakia Food

TRADITIONAL GREEK MEATBALL SOUP (GIOUVARLAKIA/ YOUVARLAKIA) IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• To prepare this Greek meatball soup, start by making the meatballs (youvarlakia). Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl, knead the mixture squeezing the ingredients with your hand until smooth. Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will prevent the youvarlakia to break up when boiled. Form the meatballs (youvarlakia) and set them aside.
• Pour into a large pan 2 ½ cups of water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and gently add the meatballs (youvarlakia) in the water, put the lid back on and cook for 20-25 minutes. (The water should be enough to cover the meatballs, so add some more warm water if needed)
• To prepare the egg lemon sauce for the Greek meatball soup, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the lemon juice and whisk well. Add into the bowl a ladle of hot soup and whisk quickly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined.
• Stir in the egg lemon sauce into the youvarlakia soup and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until warm but not boiling.
• Serve this extra warming Greek meatball soup, while still hot with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
• Make sure that you do not cover any left overs until they have cooled; the sauce may curdle otherwise!!

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (GREEK MEATBALL SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large dutch oven, bring chicken broth to a boil. Cover and simmer.
• In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, rice, dill, olive oil and salt and pepper.
• In a separate pan, add flour.
• Shape ground beef mixture into bite size meatballs. Roll in flour enough to lightly coat.
• Once all meatballs are lightly coated with flour, drop one by one into broth. Be careful to space them out in the pot so they don't fall directly on top of one another.
• Bring heat back to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes. Meatballs are ready when firm and no longer pink. (Cut into one to test).
• While meatballs are cooking, juice two lemons and set aside.
• Separate egg yolks from whites and set egg yolks aside.
• Beat egg whites until fluffy. Add lemon juice. Beat again. Add yolks one at a time and beat until frothy.
• When meatballs are ready, temper the egg lemon mixture. Use a ladle to slowly add hot broth to the egg lemon mixture, beating to incorporate. Repeat three times.
• Slowly stir the egg lemon mixture into the pot and continue to stir until incorporated.
• Serve along with crusty bread, a tossed green salad, olives and cheese.

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (GREEK MEATBALL-EGG/LEMON SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the meat, minced onion, garlic, rice, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, the mint, oregano, salt and pepper, and 1 egg, slightly beaten.
• Knead for a few minutes, then shape into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside.
• In a soup pot, bring the water or stock to boil and add the meatballs.
• Cook for 20 minutes.
• Add chopped onion, celery, carrot, zucchini and potato. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Lower the heat and gently simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes (until the vegetables are tender), then remove from the heat.
• To prepare avgolemono: beat the two remaining eggs for 2 minutes and whisk in the corn flour.
• While beating all the while, gradually add the lemon juice.
• Then add 1 cup of the hot broth in a slow, steady stream (ladle), beating steadily, until nearly all the hot liquid has been added.
• Add the egg/stock mixture back to the soup pot and heat, being careful not to let it boil, stirring, until thickened.
• Serve hot, garnished with parsley.
• Serve this with feta cheese on the side- goes great with the little meatballs.

YOUVARLAKIA

Steps:

• Put the ground beef in a bowl with the grated onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, parsley, mint, and pepper and add salt.
• Rinse, and then scald the rice by pouring boiling water over it in a bowl; leave to soak for 5 minutes.
• Drain, add to the beef, and mix all ingredients well; form small sausage shapes.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs until brown; drain on paper towels.
• Add the onion to the oil remaining in the pan and fry over gentle heat until translucent.
• Add the garlic, cinnamon, and honey and stir until caramelized.
• Add the chopped tomato, season, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced.
• Add the vegetable broth and the meatballs; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with chopped herbs.

CYPRIOT MEATBALL SOUP (YOURVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO) (GLUTEN FREE)

Steps:

• Beat 1 egg and mix it with the ground meat, onion, rice, 2 tbs parsley, mint, & salt & pepper to taste.
• Shape into meatballs the size of a small walnut and coat lightly with rice flour.
• Bring stock to a boil in a soup pot & drop in prepared meatballs; add the butter.
• Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
• In a bowl beat remaining two eggs until light and foamy.
• Gradually beat in lemon juice.
• Slowly add about 2 cups of the simmering stock, beating constantly.
• Pour the egg mixture into the soup and stir lightly but constantly for two minutes to cook the egg.
• Remove from heat and stir for a further minute so the heat of the pot will not cause the egg to curdle.
• Ladle soup into soup plates and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley.
• Serve with crusty bread.

GREEK MEATBALLS IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE: (YOUVARLAKIA ME AVGOLEMONO)

Steps:

• Combine the ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add an egg and mix well.
• Pour some flour in a shallow pan. With floured hands, shape the meat into walnut-sized balls. Lightly roll the meatballs in the flour and shake off the excess.
• Heat 2 cups of the chicken broth in a Dutch oven, or large pot, until boiling.
• Carefully place the meatballs in a layer on the bottom of the pot. If the broth does not cover the meatballs, add a bit more broth until they are covered.
• Simmer, covered, on low for 45 minutes, adding more broth if there is less than 1 cup remaining.
• To make the sauce, beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl until frothy.
• Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Ladle one cup of the pot liquid, little by little, into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add in the lemon/egg mixture, stirring gently.
• Heat over very low heat until sauce thickens and is heated through, making sure the sauce does not boil (which will result in the eggs curdling).

GIOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (RICE MEATBALLS IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE)

Steps:

• Put bread and ground beef in a bowl, and mix and knead thoroughly.
• Add rice, parsley, celery, mint, oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
• In a soup kettle, bring about 2 qt water to a furious boil.
• Keeping the water boiling, shape the meat into little round balls (about the size of walnuts) and gently drop them into the boiling water.
• Continue boiling for about 1/2 hour, and then set aside.
• Beat the whites of 3 eggs until frothy, but not stiff and shiny.
• Constantly beating, add the yolks until well mixed.
• Still beating add the lemon juice drop by drop.
• Bring butter and broth to a boil.
• Add this to the egg-lemon mixture, beating continuously.
• Place over VERY low heat, stirring in a S or X pattern (stirring round& round will cause sauce to curdle) until froth is almost broken down and sauce thickens.
• Serve hot.

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (LEMONY GREEK MEATBALL SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, 1/4 cup dill, onion, carrot, rice, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Gently mix with your hands until well combined.
• Gently form the mixture into 24 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, placing them on a plate or baking pan. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours. This helps the meatballs keep their shape while cooking.
• In a large pot, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and use a slotted spoon to carefully add meatballs to the pot. The broth should cover the tops of the meatballs by about 1/2 inch. If not, add a little water. Simmer gently, adjusting the heat so the broth doesn't boil, until meatballs are cooked through and rice is tender, 25 to 35 minutes. (Break open a meatball to test it.) Remove pot from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and lemon juice until just mixed. Slowly add a ladle of warm broth to egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in another two ladles of broth to temper the egg mixture.
• Slowly drizzle the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the meatballs, stirring gently so you don't break apart the meatballs. Return the pot to medium-low heat until it just starts to simmer. (Wait for a bubble or two to appear, but don't let the pot boil.) The broth should be silky. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup dill. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. (It may need quite a bit of salt if you are starting with unsalted broth.) Garnish with nutmeg, if you like, and dill, and serve.