Avgolemono may be one of the better known dishes from the Greek kitchen and so rarely found on the menus of Greek restaurants in Australia.
We love it equally with fish, starting with a good fish head and bone stock. White pepper is mandatory it just doesn’t taste right when made with black pepper.
main course for six
a large chicken at least 2kg [1]
8 large shallots, peeled
8 medium carrots, peeled, top half cut into 2 lengthwise, bottom half into 4
8 medium potatoes [Desire or similar starchy potato], peeled and halved lengthwise
2 sticks of celery, peeled and diced – reserve 6 celery leaves and their skinny stems
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of traditional thyme
5g whole white peppercorns
cold water
for the avgolemono sauce
750g of the poaching stock
3 room temperature whole eggs
2 room temperature egg yolks
150g freshly squeezed strained lemon juice
handful of parsley stalked and chopped just before serving
https://cuisine-extreme.com/recipes/chicken-poaching/ use either method depending on whether you cook with gas or induction
Allow the chicken to finish cooking in the pot overnight. For the Avgolemono the chicken is kept in larger pieces and the small scrappy pieces used for another purpose.
[1] I like to use Greenslades free-range chicken from Vegas Poultry Adelaide Central Markets. They come in fresh twice a week. It doesn’t matter where you live sourcing a good chicken is the basis of this dish. If you want a big chicken it is a good idea to order.
Using food service gloves, remove the skin, and gently break the chicken meat into largish chunks. Keep all of the small scrappy pieces for chicken soup or sandwiches.
Carefully remove the vegetables from the stock and refrigerate the chicken meat and vegetables until you are ready to serve. Strain the stock. You will need about one litre of stock to rewarm the chicken and vegetables and 750g for the avgolemono sauce.
to serve
In a pan with a lid large enough to hold the chicken and vegetables, bring the litre of stock to the boil, season it and add the vegetables and turn it back to medium heat. When it comes to simmer add the chicken and cook on low heat just until it comes to a simmer. Turn the chicken pieces over in the stock, cover with the lid and turn off the heat.
for the avgolemono sauce
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer and season it with Maldon sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Using a stab mixer, thoroughly mix the whole eggs, egg yolks and lemon juice together. Bring the stock to the boil and whisk in the egg and lemon juice and continue whisking until it thickens. Immediately turn the heat off. [2]
Draining as much stock off as possible, use tongs to remove the chicken and vegetables from the stock. Plate either in individual serves or a single serve. Reserve the heating stock for another purpose. Pour over the avgolemono sauce and scatter the chopped parsley over the top.
[2] With induction you can keep the sauce on the lowest heat. Without induction a thermos is a great way of not having to much to manage at the last minute.
We have 42 years history at the highest level
in the food and wine industry and the passion for our craft remains undiminished…
read more