Youvarlakia
Γιουβαρλάκια·(yoo-var-LAK-ya)
Yiayia's Pot on the Stove (Survival and Comfort)
Work the chopped mint into the ground beef, drop the rolled spheres into a heavy pot, and let the simmering water do the rest. This is youvarlakia, the soup grandmothers stretched with a half-cup of short-grain rice when meat was scarce. It relies on avgolemono—the rapid whisking of egg and lemon that thickens the soup as the hot broth clouds into a pale, velvety emulsion without a single drop of dairy. Temper the eggs slowly, stir the pot off the heat, and eat immediately.
Ingredients
- low-sodium chicken broth6 cup
- water2 cup
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- carrot1 med
- bay leaf1 med
- ground beef chuck1 1/2 lb
- Arborio rice1/3 cup
- yellow onion1 med
- fresh dill1/4 cup
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1/4 cup
- egg1 large
- extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- all-purpose flour1/4 cup
- eggs2 large
- lemon juice1/3 cup
- cornstarch1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Knead the meat mixture vigorously to build structural integrity.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, grated onion and its juices, dill, parsley, the single egg, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to knead the mixture for a full 4 to 5 minutes until it looks pale and sticky, which releases the proteins that act as glue to prevent the meatballs from exploding in the pot.
- 02
Shape the meatballs and dust them with flour.
Spread the flour on a wide plate. Pinch off pieces of the meat mixture and roll them into spheres the size of a golf ball. Roll each meatball lightly in the flour, tapping off any excess, and set aside. The flour creates a protective microscopic seal and will help thicken the soup later.
- 03
Build the poaching broth.
In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, water, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, diced carrot, and the bay leaf. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- 04
Gently poach the meatballs until the rice puffs up.
Lower the heat to medium-low so the broth is at a steady, gentle simmer. Drop the meatballs in one by one. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and simmer undisturbed for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pot completely from the heat.
- 05
Whisk the egg and lemon base.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice and the cornstarch together until completely smooth. Add the 2 remaining eggs and whisk vigorously until frothy and pale. The cornstarch is a modern grandmother hack that prevents the avgolemono from separating.
- 06
Temper the avgolemono sauce with the hot broth.
Do not pour the cold eggs directly into the hot soup. While whisking the eggs constantly with one hand, use your other hand to slowly stream in a ladle of the hot broth. Repeat with two to three more ladles until the bowl feels very warm to the touch.
- 07
Emulsify the sauce into the soup.
Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the Dutch oven. Do not stir with a spoon, which might break the meatballs. Instead, grab the handles of the pot and gently swirl and shake it back and forth so the sauce seamlessly melds into the broth. Serve immediately with extra black pepper.
From Cook Greek in America.