Diner Feels For Days…

Whether they are late night cravings after a city bar crawl, or Sunday funday with the family after Mass, let’s admit it, we have all eaten at a diner. Probably on numerous occasions and now more than ever, we are most certainly waiting to go back as soon as possible and literally eating EVERYTHING in sight!

Picture this…you walk inside your local diner, say in Jersey where I am from. You usually are greeted with a glorious bronze encasement of pastries and cakes galore. Folding boxes ready to fill as take away after you’ve basically consumed everything on the menu. The typical “Hostess Will Seat You” sign is literally the worst thing you want to see if you are REALLY hungry. You are finally seated in a booth after a line, which gradually moves pretty fast. As you bounce about in your corner fully stocked with sugar packets, sticky honey and maple syrup dispensers and the occasional juke box to your right or left, a gum smacking waitress named Delores comes with menus. If you’re lucky, she will already come with a tray of coffee, water and if she is really feeling it that day, you’ll have orange juice. Not the fresh squeezed kind, but for some reason it tastes so damn good. She does her usual greeting and then leaves you with the quintessential contemplation. The horror of all horrors. The clock is ticking down and you have about three minutes give or take on what the heck you are going to order. Am I craving sweet or savory? Both? If you are anything like me, I literally cannot wait to have this as my actual problem again considering this world right now.

Now let’s really get down to the  complexity of an actual diner menu. It is usually a page turning, stomach churning event {in a good way}, of what to eat. Eggs with sausage, wheat toast and a side of fruit salad? Or maybe pancakes with a mountain of whipped cream so high you cannot see your mom across from you. Do you go bold like my dad and order the cream chipped beef, bringing you back to your Navy days in the mess hall, as I gag on the thought of such a dish. As I got older though, I actually tried it. It’s pretty darn tasty. Or are you playing it safe, juggling between the everything smoked salmon bagel with a side of no other than the glorious cream of chicken and rice soup. This by far is the Queen of diner food. It’s comforting and truly warms your soul. The lemony taste with it’s creamy texture as you get hints of dill is exactly how you want to start your experience in a diner. And here’s the kicker. I have a recipe that is so easy, so comforting and again, you most likely have all the ingredients in your fridge. Are you ready for your at home diner experience?

Traditionally, this cream of chicken and rice soup is, by definition, called Avgolemono, indicative of Greek and Armenian tradition and get this; there’s no cream in it whatsoever. What gives it that creamy and oh so delicious consistancy is no other than the perfect marriage of lemon being slowly tempered into a warm broth of chicken stock and egg. It’s silky and beautifully delicious and easy to make.

Print Recipe

Avgolemono

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 4 cups homemade chicken stock {Check out my Chicken Soup For Your Soul recipe}
• 1/2 tsp sea salt more to taste
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper more to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh dill extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice more to taste
• 1 1/2 lbs cooked rotisserie chicken skin off, deboned and shredded
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 carrots diced into small pieces
• 1 small vidalia onion chopped into small pieces
• 2 cups white rice
• 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings people Ingredients 4 cups homemade chicken stock {Check out my Chicken Soup For Your Soul recipe} 1/2 tsp sea salt more to taste 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper more to taste 1/4 cup fresh dill extra for garnish 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice more to taste 1 1/2 lbs cooked rotisserie chicken skin off, deboned and shredded 2 large egg yolks 2 carrots diced into small pieces 1 small vidalia onion chopped into small pieces 2 cups white rice 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. In a dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil. When oil is warmed, drop in your onions until sweated out and transluscent, then add carrots. Pinch some fresh sea salt and cracked pepper and swirl in pot until the carrots are tender, roughly ten minutes or so.
2. Pour in your chicken stock, a little pinch of fresh dill and bring to a slow simmer, as to incorporate and activate your broth. Taste to make sure there is a balance of pepper and salt. Add your shredded chicken and stir.
3. In a bowl with a ladle, take some of the broth out, roughly 1/2 cup and set aside. 
4. In a separate ramekin, with a fork, whip your yolks with a splash of water and quickly whisk in your lemon juice. This is the important process where the creaminess factor takes place.
5. Add lemon and egg mixture slowly into your warm broth set aside. This is the tempering process. When it is all combined, add back to your pot and stir. You should take note that this is when your clear broth beautifully transforms itself into this silky and creamy consistency.
6. Prepare your white rice as indicated.
7. Pour soup into bowls with rice and add fresh dill for a beautiful green garnish. Serve with a beautiful torn baguette and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

{Check out my Chicken Soup For Your Soul recipe}

This recipe is a close as you’ll get to the comforts of eating in a diner. It is just another cozy sentiment that I want to share with you and your loved ones. It truly is easy to make and for sure another home run for your family.

Memorable food. Food for comfort. Comforts of home and family.

My Top Five Diner Feels

1. Ponzio’s Diner– Cherry Hill, NJ
2. Arlington Diner (Me and my Dad’s personal favorite)- North Arlington, NJ
3. Breakfast in America– Paris, France
4. SOHO Diner– NYC
5. Silk City– Philadelphia, PA