By throwing the whisk around like a madman, I was able to achieve the soup's unique alchemy: the eggs, rather than stiffening and cooking into a scramble-like mess, turn the soup creamy and rich. It also softens the acidity of the lemon, which leads off the flavor profile, followed by "richness of eggs, salt of chicken [stock], and starch of rice, in that order." This one's going in my regular Winter rotation.
Ingredients
8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, if not, low sodium
1 cup orzo pasta, or rice
4 eggs, separated
Juice of 3 lemons
Freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
1 Bring stock to a boil and add orzo or rice. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Season stock to taste with salt, if necessary.
2 When the orzo or rice is nearing tenderness, whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until medium peaks. Add egg yolks and lemon juice, whisking continuously.
3 When the orzo or rice is finished, transfer 2 cups of the hot stock to the egg/lemon mixture, adding very slowly in a constant stream and beating vigorously to prevent the eggs from solidifying.
4 Take the soup off the heat and add the beaten mixture back into the pot, whisking to incorporate. Serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper.
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