www.cyber-kitchen.com

LYNX AND BETSIE USERS CLICK HERE

[an error occurred while processing this directive]Support our featured affiliate to keep our site free

Donate Food FREE

MIMI'S FOOD LINKS

printer friendly format

Without a doubt, this was my favorite dish from the whole Greek feast. Also, see my notes at the end about how I modified this recipe for my own use.

Rice Pilaf with Cream Sauce Avgolemono

This comes from "The Complete Book of Greek Cooking" (The Recipe Club of Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Cathedral).

10 cups chicken stock or water
4 cups raw converted rice
1 cup milk
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter
1/4 cup flour
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound kefalotiri or Parmesan cheese, grated

Put 9 cups of stock into a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add rice and stir with a fork.

Cover and cook until fluffy and soft.

While rice cooks, heat remaining cup of broth and the milk.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan, add flour, and blend well.

Slowly add hot broth and milk.

Cook over low heat until sauce thickens, stirring constantly to prevent lumping or burning.

Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks with lemon juice and slowly add to the sauce, stirring constantly.

Return to the heat, and stir until thickened.

Remove from heat, and add half the grated cheese.

In a small saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter until lightly browned.

Pour over rice.

Pack rice in a 10-inch mold and turn onto a platter.

Pour hot sauce over rice.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Serve hot.

Serves 10 to 15.

Notes: I used stock rather than water, and I think it made it even better, but oh, that browned butter!

Also, I used white basmati rice, and it had that heavenly flavor you don't get from plain white rice.

I used 1% milk (because that's what we have in this house) and sweet (unsalted) butter.

I was in a hurry, so I didn't measure the lemon juice...I used the juice of one small lemon, whatever that amounted to.

And I used the kefalotiri (from the Middle Eastern market). This is a hard, ripe cheese...and though the recipe claims you can substitute Parmesan, I wouldn't. If you can't get kefalotiri, use some good Romano Peccorino cheese. Unfortunately, as I said, I was in a hurry and didn't read the directions carefully. I ended up dumping all the cheese into the sauce instead of using half as a garnish. Something to consider for next time, I guess.

Lastly, I halved the recipe, using 2 egg yolks, and it was perfect.

All data, logos, text contained on any portion of Mimi's Cyber Kitchen copyright 1995 through 2001 Mimi Hiller, JB Hiller, Jennifer Hiller. No portions of this website may be used without express written permission of the authors.