This classic Greek soup is one of my favorites when I want to “lighten up” from a gustatory standpoint. It makes the perfect chicken soup substitute when you are just not feeling up to snuff, or a good light dinner when you’ve had enough of the restaurant-and-fine-dining circuit. It is traditionally made with chicken broth and small bits of chicken, but I think the meatless version yields even truer, clearer flavors. A touch of ground cumin adds yet another dimension to the flavor.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the rice thoroughly and place it, along with the water, in the slow cooker insert.
Step 2
In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion, celery, and artichokes over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
Step 3
Add the vegetables to the water and rice, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the rice is tender. Add the cumin and 1/4 cup of the parsley to the soup.
Step 4
In a medium bowl and using a whisk or a handheld immersion blender, beat the eggs and lemon juice together until frothy. Slowly add 2 ladles of broth, 1 ladle at a time, stirring constantly, to the lemon and egg mixture.
Step 5
Add the lemon and broth mixture back into the soup, stirring constantly, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, or until heated through and beginning to thicken. (If you allow the soup to boil, the eggs will curdle.)
Step 6
Add salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley, and serve immediately.
Suggested Beverage
Step 7
A nice Sauvignon Blanc or an artisanal Greek retsina, if you can find one, would pair well with this soup.
