Preparing this soup at my grandmother’s house was a ritual into which everyone partook. I have wonderful memories of us allchopping the offal and lettuce together, picking fresh herbs the kitchen filled with the scent of spring. Which is why this magiritsa will always be special to me.
Translation | Amaryllis Tsegou
In addition to lamb offal, you can also use beef liver or chicken livers. You can also adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more or less stock or water, depending on your preference.
Ingredients
- 1 lamb offal set (about 1.5 kg), cleaned (alternatively: 1 kg offal + ½ kg other entrails such as well-cleaned intestines or lungs)
- 8–10 spring onions, finely chopped (both white and green parts)
- 2 bay leaves
- 5–6 black peppercorns
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 200 g short-grain rice
- 150 ml olive oil
- 2 tbsp fennel, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp dill, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chervil (or fresh mint), finely chopped
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 1.5 L hot vegetable stock or water
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 60 ml lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Method
- For the classic magiritsa, fill a large pot with water, add some salt, the peppercorns and the bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Add the liver (and any additional entrails, if using) and blanch for 8–10 minutes, skimming if needed. Drain, discard the water, and let them cool slightly so they can be handled.
- Cut the offal (and entrails, if using) into small pieces.
- Place a large pot over medium heat and add 6 tbsp of the olive oil. Once hot, add both the chopped onion and spring onions with a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the chopped offal, season with a little more salt and pepper and cook, stirring continuously, for 7–8 minutes until lightly browned.
- Deglaze with the wine and let it simmer for about 1 minute to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Then add about 1.5 litres of hot vegetable stock or water—enough to cover all the ingredients. Simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Skim if necessary and check the liquid level during cooking, topping up if needed.
- Add the rice, fennel, chervil (or mint) and the remaining olive oil. Stir gently and continue cooking over low heat for another 10–15 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
- Take 4–5 tablespoons of the broth, strain it and set it aside. Add the remaining herbs (such as dill) to the soup and reduce the heat to very low.
- Meanwhile, prepare the avgolemono: in a bowl, whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and zest. Gradually add the reserved warm broth, whisking continuously to temper the eggs.
- Pour the avgolemono mixture into the pot, stirring gently or shaking the pot to combine. Let the soup sit on the warm (but turned-off or very low) heat for about 5 minutes.
- Serve with plenty of freshly ground pepper and, if desired, extra lemon juice or fresh herbs.
