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4 slices Wonder bread, crusts removed

½ cup milk

4 fresh bay leaves or 8 dried leaves

3 quarts water

FOR THE AVGOLEMONO

3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

cup small, picked sprigs dill

In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, dill, parsley, mint, shallot, Garlic Confit, beaten egg, and liberal amounts of kosher salt and pepper. In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk until most of the milk is absorbed, squeeze out the milk, and add to the mixture in the large bowl.

With clean hands, combine the meatball mixture thoroughly, evenly distributing the rice and bread. Using a large ice cream scoop, form firmly packed, golf-ball-sized meatballs of about 2 ounces each (about 18).

Bring water to a boil in a very large pot. Salt liberally, and add the bay leaves. Drop all the meatballs into the water. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer gently until firm and cooked through, about 45 to 60 minutes. (Taste to be sure the rice is cooked through to the center.) Discard the bay leaves.

Make the Avgolemono: Get everything together so you can work quickly. With a ladle, scoop out ½ cup of the braising liquid and strain into a small bowl. Add egg yolks and whisk together. Place the egg whites in a food processor and turn it on. When the whites begin to froth, after about 30 seconds, add the lemon juice, keeping the motor running all the time. When the whites are very frothy and thick, another 45 to 60 seconds, add the dill, and process for 10 to 15 seconds more while you season liberally with salt and pepper. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and immediately turn the machine off. Spoon the Avgolemono over the soup and serve at once, as it will quickly start to deflate.

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH BEEF & RICE

YEMISTES PIPERIES ME MOSCHARAKI KAI RIZI

SERVES 6, OR MORE FAMILY-STYLE, AS PART OF A LARGER SPREAD

The stuffing in this recipe may be used to stuff all kinds of vegetables, such as tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants. Whenever the vegetable has pulp, scoop it out, chop it up, and add it to the celery, onion, and fennel before you begin to soften them.

2 tablespoons blended oil (90 percent canola, 10 percent extra-virgin olive)

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

½ small Spanish or sweet onion, finely chopped

¼ bulb fennel, cored and finely chopped

12 ounces ground beef

½ cup white wine

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

½ cup uncooked long-grain rice

3 cups water or light stock, any variety

cup roughly chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, mint, and/or parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons Garlic Purée (page 264)

6 red or green bell peppers, or a combination

Extra-virgin olive oil

In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the blended oil. Add the celery, onion, and fennel and soften for 3 to 5 minutes without browning. Add the beef and brown well. Deglaze the pot with the white wine, and cook until it’s all evaporated. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper, and add the rice. Stir for 2 minutes, then add the water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in half of the fresh herbs, the lemon juice, and the Garlic Purée. Let stand briefly while you prepare the peppers.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut off the top 1 inch of the peppers and remove the seeds and large white ribs through the top. Reserve the tops. Place the peppers in a Dutch oven or small roasting pan. It should be just large enough to hold all the vegetables securely upright, so that the stuffing—which is initially quite wet but firms up as the rice cooks—absorbs the excess moisture.

Spoon the stuffing into the peppers to within half an inch of the top rim. Distribute the pan juices evenly between the peppers, and drizzle each one generously with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper, and replace the tops of the peppers. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil.

Steam-roast in the oven until the peppers are tender, about 45 minutes. Scatter with the remaining chopped herbs and drizzle with a little more