After Midnight…
Easter Soup or magiritsa, a sort of stew made from lamb offal and greens, is eaten right after attending church in the very early hours of Sunday morning.
When I attended a cooking seminar by Chef Christoforos Peskias for the first time, he taught our class this recipe. I instantly fell in love with his cooking style and ethics! I never liked magiritsa before but this vegetarian variation of the recipe is a staple for me and my vegetarian friends. Happy Easter!
Choose any kinds of mushrooms you like, they all go great together, creating a deep and aromatic soup, ideal for your midnight dinner.
This is the Augolemono (egg-lemon) sauce which binds the soup and imitates the original.
Vegetarian Easter Soup – Magiritsa
Ingredients
500 g white mushrooms, quartered
500 g Portobello mushrooms, cut in big cubes
500 g Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus), cut in big cubes
500 g wild trumpet mushrooms, thoroughly washed
500 g Chanterelle mushrooms
75 ml olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 to 5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup white dry wine
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 bunches arugula
lemon juice, to taste
1 fresh oregano sprig
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional for “Avgolemono”, egg & lemon sauce
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
pepper, freshly ground
Method
1. In a large casserole pour 25 ml olive oil. Sauté the onions with the garlic and the celery until soft, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over a high heat sauté the white, Portobello and Oyster mushrooms, for 4 to 5 minutes (until they become golden). As each mushroom is sautéed add it to the casserole. When the sautéing is completed add enough water to the casserole to cover the mushrooms.
3. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes (while the soup is simmering make sure to remove whatever froth forms from the top) then add the wild trumpet mushrooms, Chanterelle mushrooms, coriander, and the ground ginger. Simmer for another 10 minutes. If needed, add some water (but be careful not to add too much).
4. Add the arugula to the soup and remove the soup from the stove. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and taste.
5. Optional: You may make an egg/lemon sauce, “avgolemono” by beating 2 to 3 egg yolks in with the lemon and fold this egg/lemon mixture into the soup.
Combine the egg yolks and lemon juice in a blender and mix at a high speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of hot juice from the soup, in a stream. Whisk well. Add the remaining 1 cup of stock whisk 3.
Place the sauce back in the soup and stir gently.
Servings 10 to 12