Magiritsa — Paschal Lamb Offal Soup

The traditional soup eaten at midnight after the Paschal Liturgy, magiritsa breaks the forty-day Lenten
fast with lamb offal, fresh dill, rice, and a silky avgolemono (egg-lemon) finish. Offal has fallen out
of fashion but magiritsa remains the definitive Greek Easter dish — the soup that marks the Resurrection.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (lamb offal, eggs, lemon)

SERVINGS: 6-8
TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 500 g lamb offal (heart, liver, lungs) — from the paschal lamb; from a good butcher
- 500 g lamb tripe, well-cleaned
- 4 large green onions, finely sliced
- 1 large bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 100 g long-grain rice, rinsed
- 2.5 litres water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- Juice of 2 large lemons
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 small bunch fresh mint, chopped (optional, very traditional)

METHOD:
1. Rinse offal thoroughly. Cut into small pieces (1 cm dice).
2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add tripe and simmer 60 minutes until very tender. Remove, chop small, and return to the pot. Strain and reserve the cooking broth.
3. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven. Sauté green onions for 3-4 minutes until soft.
4. Add all chopped offal and cook 5-7 minutes until no longer raw.
5. Return the reserved broth and chopped tripe to the offal. Add dill (reserve some for garnish), parsley, and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
7. Add rice and simmer 15 minutes more, until rice is tender. Remove from heat.
8. Make avgolemono: whisk eggs with lemon juice until foamy. Slowly ladle 3 cups of hot broth into the eggs, whisking constantly — this is tempering.
9. Return the tempered egg mixture to the pot off the heat, stirring constantly. The soup will thicken to silky consistency. Never boil after adding eggs or they will curdle.
10. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon. Serve immediately, topped with reserved dill.

NOTES:
- Magiritsa is the food of Anastasi (the Resurrection service). It is served at 2-3 AM after the midnight Liturgy, when families return home to break the Great Lent fast.
- The offal must be very fresh. Buy from a butcher you trust. Many Greek butchers carry lamb offal specifically at Pascha.
- If unable to find offal, some Greeks now make magiritsa with just lamb shoulder (finely diced). It is no longer traditional but still acceptable.
- Fresh dill is non-negotiable. Dried will not work.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 280 | Protein: 24 g | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Fat: 14 g | Fibre: 1 g