Michael's Restaurant Avgolemono Soup

Michael's Restaurant was a popular restaurant for Mayo Clinic visitors in Rochester, MN. We tried the restaurant once and were disappointed in both the service and the quality of the food. But, their avgolemono soup is great and a family favorite.

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
6 Tbsp concentrated chicken soup base
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup flour
8 egg yolks at room temperature
1 cup cooked long grain white rice
1 cup cooked diced or shredded chicken
lemon slices to garnish

Combine broth, lemon juice, carrot, onion, celery, base and pepper in large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Blend butter and flour in shallow bowl until smooth. Using back of fork, scrape butter mixture into hot soup a little at a time. Stir well. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks on high speed until light and lemon colored. Reduce speed and gradually mix in some of the hot soup. Pour mixutre into soup and cook until heated through. Stir in rice and chicken. Ladle into bowls and serve with lemon garnishes.
Yield: 6-8 servings