Mageiritsa
Mageiritsa (Greek Easter Soup)

A traditional Greek Easter soup made with lamb offal, including spleen, thickened with an egg-lemon sauce (avgolemono).

Ingredients

  • 500g Lamb Offal (spleen, heart, liver, intestines)
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 4-5 Spring Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh Dill, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Long-Grain Rice
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • For Avgolemono Sauce:
  • 2 large Eggs
  • Juice of 2 Lemons

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Offal: Clean the offal thoroughly. Boil in a large pot of water for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and chop into small pieces.
  2. Start the Soup: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and spring onions until soft. Add the chopped offal and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
  3. Simmer: Add 8 cups of water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the meat is tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
  4. Add Rice and Herbs: Add the rice and half of the chopped dill to the pot. Simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
  5. Make the Avgolemono: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Temper the mixture by gradually ladling in a few cups of the hot broth from the soup pot, whisking constantly.
  6. Combine and Finish: Pour the avgolemono mixture back into the soup pot. Stir gently and cook over very low heat for a few minutes until the soup thickens slightly. Do not let it boil. Stir in the remaining dill and serve immediately.