Tomato Soup with Rice and Lemon

[Rollaj]

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 medium leek, trimmed and sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

about 6 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered (I used 3 28oz cans store brand (cheap) crushed tomatoes)

sea salt

a pinch of sugar, or to taste (I didn't add any sweetener)

grated zest of half an organic lemon (I used zest from the whole lemon, non-organic)

3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (I used dry)

1 bay leaf

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water if necessary (added 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock the second day)

1/2 cup long grain rice (no don't use instant)

2 egg yolks

juice of 1 lemon

a pinch of dried red chili pepper

fresh ground black pepper

 

Combine the onions, leek, and garlic with the oil

in a saucepan large enough to hold all of the

tomatoes, set the pan over medium-low heat, and

cook until the onions are soft, but not

brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Toss in the

tomatoes and add the salt, sugar, grated lemon zest,

thyme, and bay leaf. stir to mix well and bring to a

boil. The tomatoes should exude a good deal of

juice but if necessary, add chicken or vegetable

stock or plain water. Cook, uncovered, for about

20 minutes or until the tomatoes are thouroughly

cooked and disintegrating.

 

Remove the bay leaf (I forgot this step LOL) and puree the soup. You may

do this with a stick blender right in the saucepan

or transfer the contents to a food processor or

vegetable mill. Once pureed, return the soup to the

pan over medium heat and when the soup is

simmering once more, add the rice. Let cook

for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is very

soft.

 

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks to a thick foam,

then slowly beat in the lemon juice, making a

avgolemono. When the rice is very soft, take a

ladleful of soup and slowly beat it into the

avgolemono, then another and another. This

tempers the egg sauce so it won't shock into

stiffness when it's stirred into the soup. Now turn

the heat down under the soup so that is barely

simmering, and stirring constantly, slowly tip the

egg sauce into the soup. You must not let the soup

come to a boil for fear of curdling the sauce, but

you do want to let it warm and thicken to a rich

texture. When the soup is thick enough to coat a

spoon, remove from the heat, add plenty of black

pepper and serve immediately.