Magiritsa

Video

Begin by washing the intestines and the lamb offal thoroughly.
Blanch them in boiling water for 10 minutes, then discard the water.
Drain the offal and set aside to cool.
Using kitchen scissors, finely chop the offal into very small pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the finely chopped dry onion and the white parts of the spring onions. Reserve the green tops of the spring onions for later.
Add the finely chopped offal and the finely chopped intestines.
Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the boiling water or meat broth until the ingredients are covered. You may use broth from boiled meat, store-bought broth, or plain water.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the ingredients are tender.
Tie the thick dill stems into a bundle with kitchen twine and add to the pot.
Add the roughly chopped lettuce and the small amount of rice (optional).
Add the finely chopped green tops of the spring onions set aside earlier.
Season with salt and pepper, and simmer the magiritsa for approximately 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
After 15 minutes, add the finely chopped dill and adjust the salt, pepper, and liquid as needed.
Add broth or a little hot water, as desired, if you prefer a thinner soup.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until they form a soft meringue.
Add the yolks one at a time, beating continuously until the mixture becomes a thick, creamy avgolemono.
Gradually add the lemon juice, whisking constantly.
Add a little finely chopped dill.
Turn off the heat under the magiritsa to stop the boil. Remove the dill bundle from the pot.
Ladle two spoonfuls of broth from the pot and gradually whisk them into the avgolemono to temper it.
Pour the avgolemono into the magiritsa and gently shake the pot by its handles to distribute evenly.
Give the magiritsa a gentle stir with a spoon.
Return the heat to the lowest setting and warm the magiritsa for 1 minute – without bringing it to a boil or allowing it to simmer. It should just begin to steam from the heat.
Turn off the heat and leave the magiritsa to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
Serve the magiritsa with extra dill if desired, and plenty of freshly ground pepper.
Any foam that forms from the avgolemono on the surface will disappear within a few minutes.
If you wish to reheat it later, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the avgolemono from the outset. This will prevent the classic avgolemono from curdling when the dish is reheated after several hours.

Thorough cleaning of the intestines is essential for magiritsa. Wash them very well under running water, turn them inside out, and wash again. Use a chopstick or wooden skewer to invert them, then repeat. Soak them in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for several hours to whiten them and give them a firmer texture.
For easier chopping, braid the intestines first.
You can clean them 2-3 days in advance and store them in the freezer.
Choose intestines from a small lamb or kid goat for a mild flavor and no strong odor.
Blanch the intestines and offal after cleaning to eliminate any strong odor and make them easier to finely chop.
Use only fresh herbs. If you grow your own aromatic plants, even better.
The finely chopped dry onion adds body and thickens the magiritsa.
Always prepare the avgolemono at the last moment to avoid having to reheat it – which would cause the egg to cook through.
Take great care with the avgolemono so that it does not curdle, but binds properly, giving the soup a beautifully silky consistency.
In the Peloponnese, Laconia, and Kefalonia, magiritsa is made as a tomato-based red sauce version. In Corfu, there is a local variation called tsilichourda – a version without lettuce, with a thick consistency meant to be eaten with a fork.