Sometimes, you just don’t have time. Chopping takes time, marinating takes planning, baking takes precision. There is not always time for such things. Sometimes, you need to be able to throw open the refrigerator door and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Chicken broth, lemon, egg, rice and chicken. That’s it. Ingredients we probably all have laying around the kitchen. And in 30 minutes, Avegolemono. A soup so flavorful, smooth, so fresh that you’ll swear you stepped straight from a boat onto a Greek isle. Finish it off with the smoked sea salt and flower black pepper from Trader Joe’s. You’ll thank me for it.
While that’s cooking, toss some fingerling potatoes in lemon zest, thyme, garlic and olive oil. They will roast to perfection in the same amount of time it takes to make the Avegolemono. Delightful.
By the way, I got Shawn a new Canon digital camera for Christmas. I’ve been using it. Can you tell? (And yes, I’m totally the wife that gets her husband a gadget for Christmas and then immediately says, “Can I play with it?”)
But time. Yes, time. Time is not something we always have. I usually only prepare dinner once a week since living at my parent’s, but even then I sometimes find myself scrambling at 6:00 to get something on the table. It’s nice to have a few quick, but delicious, fixes at your fingertips for those “no time” nights.
What’s your favorite dinner quick fix? THG
Avegolemono (Greek Lemon Soup)
2 chicken breasts
5 fresh thyme stalks
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup white rice
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
In a medium saucepan, add chicken breasts and thyme stalks. Fill with water until just covering the chicken. Add salt and pepper. Boil chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and cut into 1/2” cubes.
In a large saucepan, add chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add white rice and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is cooked through and slightly al dente, about 15 minutes. Add chicken to the broth.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and egg together. Slowly add 2 cups of the broth while whisking continuously to temper eggs. Add egg mixture to soup and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Serves 4-6
Lemon-Thyme Potatoes
2 lbs. fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced finely
Zest of 2 lemons
3 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with garlic, lemon zest, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet in one layer. Roast in oven, tossing once, until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6