Secrets of an Astoria Chef – Avgolemono

The first thing I ever ate as an Astorian was avgolemono soup at Uncle George’s Taverna on Broadway.

I had just made the cross-borough move from Brooklyn, and no sooner had I unpacked, I was on my way to the old Greek restaurant. My friend Steve ordered the agvolemono. I was skeptical. Egg and lemon soup? I couldn’t imagine how this could work. I dipped my spoon and understood. It was rich yet clean. Creamy, but there was definitely no dairy in it. Specks of orzo added a nice texture. I was hooked.

Across from Uncle George’s, there’s an unassuming cheese shop with a secret. Astoria Bier & Cheese, a relative newcomer in the neighborhood, specializes in craft beer and artisan cheese. They also sell some of the best eggs I’ve ever had. Hailing from Lancaster, PA, they have the tell-tale bright bright yolk that only the happiest chickens produce. Taking a cue from the ubiquitous Greek soup, here’s my version of avgolemono. I added hearty farro, leftover roast chicken (and subsequent stock) and a bit of dill for a nod-to-spring freshness. It’s a new twist on an old-school classic. Kind of like the Astoria of today.

Avgolemono with Farro and Chicken

4 cups chicken stock (homemade or store bought)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Shredded chicken
½ cup cooked farro (or another grain)
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. Slowly ladle some of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This will temper the eggs so they don’t scramble. Add the mixture back to the simmering broth, stirring until the soup thickens, about 2 minutes or so. Add chicken and farro and warm through. Season with more salt and pepper. Stir in the dill just before serving. Serve immediately.

Where to buy:
Eggs – Astoria Bier & Cheese ($5.50/dozen)
Lemon and dill – Ellinki Agora
Farro – Mediterranean Foods

4 Comments

Phillip March 10th, 2014

Trade Fair sells Farro made by Bobs Red Mill. That’s a pretty big brand so I’m sure other supermarkets carry it too

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chris March 26th, 2013

Went looking for farro at Mediterranean Food……couldn’t find it. said they didn’t have.

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mackenzi March 26th, 2013

Good to know! We’ll see if we can get a farro update.

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lenore March 12th, 2013

Are you KIDDING me? I never thought to get eggs there before! I’m so excited! Thank you so much for that tip, and for sharing this great recipe! I will have to try it soon!

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