Josephine “Josie” McCarthy, cooked up some unusual dishes for her time. But that was her job. An Emmy-nominated host of TV and radio cooking shows in the 1940s and ’50s, she coaxed audiences to go beyond the mundane. And her sublime Greek Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono Sauce) did just that. These mint-flecked meatballs in bright lemon sauce are so good they could headline a Greek menu. Yet down-to-earth Josie just called them “the same old ground beef done up to be very important.”
Josie shared thousands of recipes on her TV show and compiled the most popular ones in Josie McCarthy’s Favorite TV Recipes. A weeknight dinner that’s special enough for company, this dish made the cut. Among her other winners is Egg White Custard Cups, a light, sweet way to use up leftover whites.
Greek Meatballs in Egg Lemon Sauce has one issue, though. Rice can escape from the meatballs as they simmer, leaving them a little ragged. Chilling the meatball mixture can help prevent runaway rice, but it’s no guarantee. Fortunately, there’s a delicious hack. Just cover the cooked meatballs with extra sauce. It smooths out all the bumps.
And you can’t have too much of this velvety sauce. After all, it’s what makes the ground beef something “very important,” as Josie would say.
Greek Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono Sauce)
Adapted from Josie McCarthy’s Favorite TV Recipes
Makes 4 servings
- 1 pound ground beef (or lamb)
- 1½ cups cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Flour for dredging
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Extra sauce for pouring over plated meatballs (optional, but recommended):
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup water with a little chicken bouillon to flavor
- Combine beef, rice, parsley, onion, mint, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly and refrigerate one-half hour.
- Roll meat into about 8 egg-shaped balls. Coat with flour.
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a deep skillet. Add meatballs one at a time. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until done, gently turning over meatballs once during cooking to assure bottoms get cooked.
- Strain broth off meat, reserve the broth.
- Combine eggs and lemon juice, mixing thoroughly. Gradually add hot broth to beaten eggs, stirring constantly. Pour over meatballs and cook uncovered 1-2 minutes or only long enough to thicken but not curdle the eggs. Serve meatballs in the sauce.
- For extra sauce, combine the additional eggs and lemon juice. Boil water and add the chicken bouillon to taste. Gradually add the hot liquid to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly.
- Pour extra sauce over meatballs as desired.
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
