What do you eat in the winter?

"Lots of food. Different sauces. Egg and lemon sauce...it's only good in the winter. Too heavy in the summer."

Athina, Rhodes, Greece

Avgolemono soup became a staple in my apartment last year when my best friend Chloe got obsessed with it. She called it lemon drop soup and made it about three times a week. It has Greek origins and is excellent in winter, especially if you’re not feeling so great (which unfortunately is the case for me today)

Soup is not avgolemono’s only claim to fame. This rich marriage of egg and lemon is often used as a sauce or condiment in Greece. I had it spooned over dolmades when I was there, and my inspiration for this dish comes from a photo I saw in a Greek cooking magazine, where it was served over meatballs.

This soup is so simple, it’s fun to play around with! Give it a try with some shredded chicken instead of meatballs, or omit the meat altogether for a filling vegetarian soup.  

Avgolemono soup with lamb meatballs

For the meatballs:

1 lb lamb mince

1 onion, grated

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup rice

For the soup:

1 quart chicken broth

1/4 cup rice

2 eggs, thoroughly whisked

The juice of two lemons

1 cup of boiling water

1.   In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients with your hands. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Form into balls about the size of walnuts.

2.   Heat a bit of oil in a large pan. Brown the meatballs in batches. Do not overcrowd them! Set aside on a covered plate.

3.   Prepare the soup. In a large pot, bring your broth to a boil.

4.   Add rice and simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. At about 15 minutes, add meatballs to the soup.

5.   In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice into the eggs. Whisking constantly, add the boiling water.

6.   Remove the soup from heat. Add the egg-lemon mixture to the soup and stir to combine.

7.   Season and serve.

"Saint Patrick’s day- try to be as Irish as possible. Eat a pie."

Amy, Westmeath, Ireland

Shepherd's Pie

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb; if you use beef, it’s called cottage pie.

In honor of Saint Patrick’s day, I used cabbage and whiskey. It brings a sweet warmth to the beef; perfect for the chilly, sunny days of early Spring!

Butter, preferably delicious Irish butter

Canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 quarter head green cabbage, chopped

1 lb lamb or beef mince

1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes

1 2/3 cup beef stock

A splash of Irish whiskey

A sprig of rosemary, thyme and bay leaf, tied into a bundle

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Roughly 1/2 cup whole milk or cream

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, plus some to sprinkle on top

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, melt a knob of butter and cook the onions until translucent. Add celery and carrot and cook until softened.

Add cabbage and meat, and brown.

Stir through chopped tomatoes, beef stock, a big splash of whiskey and the bundle of herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and then reduce heat. Simmer until the liquid is mostly gone, about an hour. Stir through peas and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

While the filling simmers, put your potatoes in a pot and cover with hot water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and transfer to a big bowl. Add a large knob of butter. With a wooden spoon, mash the potatoes, adding milk or cream bit by bit, until light and fluffy.

Stir through cheese, and season with salt.

Transfer meat filling to an ovenproof casserole dish. Spoon potatoes over top and sprinkle with some extra cheese.

Bake until the top is golden, about an hour.

Serve hot.