Sauces and condiments are a quick and easy way to transform a dish into something really special. I have devoted a whole section of this web site to that and here are some that you will enjoy for meat and poultry, fish and sea food and vegetables.
This Greek egg (avgo)-lemon (lemono) sauce is a light creamy emulsion of tangy fresh lemon juice, egg and chicken stock that will work its magic on any grilled, baked or steamed vegetable side dish into something special.
Much easier to make and lighter than Hollandaise sauce , it is a quick four ingredient sauce. Controlling the heat to avoid curdling the eggs can be tricky but there is a foolproof ingredient that easily avoids all that – a little corn starch.
A similar egg and lemon emulsion also makes a delicious chicken soup. See recipe.
Avgolemono Sauce
by
Derek Farwagi
Equipment
- A quart bowl. A whisk. A small saucepan.
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 ½ tsp corn starch (or flour)
- ½ cup warm chicken stock
Instructions
- In a glass, dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons of corn starch ( or flour) in 2 teaspoons of water to make a runny paste.
- In a quart bowl, thoroughly beat the egg and lemon juice and whisk in the corn starch.
- Pour egg and lemon mixture into a small saucepan and slowly add half the warm chicken stock. Whisk thoroughly while doing so.
- Put the saucepan on a low heat and keep srirring the sauce. When it starts to thicken (about a minute), add remaining stock in small batches and stirring thoroughly while doing so. Remove from heat when the sauce is as thick as heavy whipping cream. ( CAUTION. DO NOT LET THE SAUCE COME TO A BOIL AND BE PREPARED TO REMOVE IT FROM THE HEAT IF IT THICKENS TOO QUICKLY - stir in a little stock or water if it does).
- Serve warm on any vegetable.
Notes
Nutrition
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Note
A critical ingredient is the chicken stock and my challenge has always been to have available small quantities of good chicken broth. Bouillon cubes and canned stock were usually too salty and synthetic tasting. A Carton of “fresh”, “organic” stock worked but was often more than I needed and had to freeze or discard most of it.
Until I discovered Better Than Bouillon, a paste made from organic roasted chicken meat and is available in reduced sodium.
Picture courtesy of Amazon.
Not only is Better Than Bouillon better than bouillon, it’s a lot better than bouillon. It comes in chicken , beef, fish and vegetable flavors and a teaspoon per cup of hot water is the usual proportion to use. Once opened, it will keep in the fridge for many months (although it rarely does in mine).
Available in most supermarkets and Amazon, it is a gift to anyone who needs small amounts stock and will expand your culinary horizons beyond sauces into wonderful poaching or braising liquids, soups and stews with a minimum of fuss and waste.
Marina
What a great alternative for hollandaise sauce! Besides your delicious Avgolemono soup with a base of corn starch as a thicker recipe is full proof. Thanks!
Derek Farwagi
Thank you Marina. Yes the cornstarch trick does make it a less risky way to thicken the sauce.