Youvarlakia Recipes

TRADITIONAL GREEK MEATBALL SOUP (GIOUVARLAKIA/ YOUVARLAKIA) IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• To prepare this Greek meatball soup, start by making the meatballs (youvarlakia). Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl, knead the mixture squeezing the ingredients with your hand until smooth. Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will prevent the youvarlakia to break up when boiled. Form the meatballs (youvarlakia) and set them aside.
• Pour into a large pan 2 ½ cups of water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and gently add the meatballs (youvarlakia) in the water, put the lid back on and cook for 20-25 minutes. (The water should be enough to cover the meatballs, so add some more warm water if needed)
• To prepare the egg lemon sauce for the Greek meatball soup, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the lemon juice and whisk well. Add into the bowl a ladle of hot soup and whisk quickly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined.
• Stir in the egg lemon sauce into the youvarlakia soup and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until warm but not boiling.
• Serve this extra warming Greek meatball soup, while still hot with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
• Make sure that you do not cover any left overs until they have cooled; the sauce may curdle otherwise!!

YOUVARLAKIA

Steps:

• Put the ground beef in a bowl with the grated onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, parsley, mint, and pepper and add salt.
• Rinse, and then scald the rice by pouring boiling water over it in a bowl; leave to soak for 5 minutes.
• Drain, add to the beef, and mix all ingredients well; form small sausage shapes.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs until brown; drain on paper towels.
• Add the onion to the oil remaining in the pan and fry over gentle heat until translucent.
• Add the garlic, cinnamon, and honey and stir until caramelized.
• Add the chopped tomato, season, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced.
• Add the vegetable broth and the meatballs; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with chopped herbs.

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (GREEK MEATBALL-EGG/LEMON SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the meat, minced onion, garlic, rice, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, the mint, oregano, salt and pepper, and 1 egg, slightly beaten.
• Knead for a few minutes, then shape into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside.
• In a soup pot, bring the water or stock to boil and add the meatballs.
• Cook for 20 minutes.
• Add chopped onion, celery, carrot, zucchini and potato. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Lower the heat and gently simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes (until the vegetables are tender), then remove from the heat.
• To prepare avgolemono: beat the two remaining eggs for 2 minutes and whisk in the corn flour.
• While beating all the while, gradually add the lemon juice.
• Then add 1 cup of the hot broth in a slow, steady stream (ladle), beating steadily, until nearly all the hot liquid has been added.
• Add the egg/stock mixture back to the soup pot and heat, being careful not to let it boil, stirring, until thickened.
• Serve hot, garnished with parsley.
• Serve this with feta cheese on the side- goes great with the little meatballs.

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (LEMONY GREEK MEATBALL SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, 1/4 cup dill, onion, carrot, rice, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Gently mix with your hands until well combined.
• Gently form the mixture into 24 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, placing them on a plate or baking pan. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours. This helps the meatballs keep their shape while cooking.
• In a large pot, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and use a slotted spoon to carefully add meatballs to the pot. The broth should cover the tops of the meatballs by about 1/2 inch. If not, add a little water. Simmer gently, adjusting the heat so the broth doesn't boil, until meatballs are cooked through and rice is tender, 25 to 35 minutes. (Break open a meatball to test it.) Remove pot from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and lemon juice until just mixed. Slowly add a ladle of warm broth to egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in another two ladles of broth to temper the egg mixture.
• Slowly drizzle the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the meatballs, stirring gently so you don't break apart the meatballs. Return the pot to medium-low heat until it just starts to simmer. (Wait for a bubble or two to appear, but don't let the pot boil.) The broth should be silky. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup dill. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. (It may need quite a bit of salt if you are starting with unsalted broth.) Garnish with nutmeg, if you like, and dill, and serve.

GREEK MEATBALL SOUP | YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the meat, rice, onion, parsley, dill, salt & pepper, olive oil and water. Use your hands so everything is well incorporated. If possible, leave the mixture to rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (this will prevent the meatballs from breaking up when boiled.). Form the mixture into about 30-35 meatballs and set them aside.
• In a small bowl, place the flour and roll each meatball in it, coating each one well.
• In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.
• Drop the meatballs gently into the water, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until the rice is soft. (The water should be enough to almost cover the meatballs, so add some more hot water if needed.)
• To prepare the egg-lemon base for the meatball soup, put the egg and the egg yolks into a medium bowl and whisk very well until frothy. (For best results, use a hand held mixer or an immersion blender). Add the lemon juice and the cornstarch and whisk again. Start "tempering" the eggs by adding a ladle of hot soup to the bowl while whisking constantly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined. Stir in the egg-lemon broth into the soup, mix well and bring to a very gentle simmer, over medium-low heat, for just a minute or so, making sure the soup doesn't come to a boil.
• Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the soup right away with some crusty bread on the side.