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\u201cThe Corfiot countryside offers an abundance of herbs, wild greens, flowers and tender shoots in the springtime. Lamb and goat are well raised and well fed. Cooked together, they make the traditional Corfiot tsilihourda,\u201d says chef Aristotelis Megoulas, a native of the Ionian island.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no single recipe, but variations from one part of the island to another: some add tomato paste and red pepper, others add spices, some include rice and some finish it with an egg-lemon sauce. The common thread, however, is the use of herbs. It\u2019s not a soup like magiritsa, but cooked down until it forms a wonderful sauce that, as locals say, can be eaten with a fork.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter 40 days of fasting, the stomach couldn\u2019t handle anything heavy,\u201d Megoulas explains. \u201cPeople would take a red egg to church, eat it and bury the shells in the fields for blessing. They would sip some of the warm cooking broth. The wood-fired oven was lit for Easter breads like colombina or fogatsa. At midday on Sunday, most preferred a cooked dish or soup. The hearth burned all day, and the pot was filled with lamb, beef or chicken for lunch, and tsilihourda for the evening. True enthusiasts would even grate a little cinnamon over the dish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chef: Aristotelis Megoulas<\/p>\n
Prep: 40\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Cooking: 2.5 hours<\/strong><\/p>\n Ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n (serves 4-6)<\/p>\n \u2022 1 lamb pluck, 800 g to 1 kg<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a01 set of lamb intestines<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0200-300 g sweetbreads<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a02 leeks, thinly sliced<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a010 spring onions, finely chopped<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a01 red onion, finely chopped<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a04 green garlic stalks (or 4 garlic cloves), finely chopped<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0200 ml good-quality retsina or dry white wine<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a01 kg mixed wild greens (such as chicory, chard, beet greens, nettles, sow thistle, wild mustard etc), cleaned, washed, dried and finely chopped. Or, alternatively, 1 large bunch chard and 1 large head lettuce<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a01 large bunch mixed herbs (wild fennel, dill, mint, coriander, fresh oregano, parsley)<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a02 eggs, yolks and whites separated, at room temperature<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0juice of 2 lemons<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0100 ml olive oil, plus extra for serving<\/p>\n \u2022 salt, freshly ground green pepper<\/p>\n Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add the lamb pluck and blanch it for 5 minutes, counting from the moment the water returns to a boil. Remove and transfer to a large bowl. Blanch the sweetbreads in the same way, followed by the intestines.<\/p>\n Let everything cool, then cut into small pieces about 1 cm in size using kitchen scissors. Combine all the chopped ingredients in a large bowl.<\/p>\n Wash and dry the pot. Add 40 ml of the olive oil, both kinds of onions, the leek, the garlic and a little salt, and cook over low to medium heat until the ingredients soften and gently sweat, about 20 minutes.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, heat another pot over very high heat until it is lightly smoking. Add the remaining olive oil and saute the blanched offal in batches until lightly browned. Transfer each batch to the pot with the softened vegetables. Add enough water to fully cover the ingredients. Reduce the heat, season with a little more salt, and skim for a few minutes, until the broth becomes clear and clean.<\/p>\n Cover the pot and simmer gently for 1.5 hours. Uncover, slightly increase the heat, and cook for a few more minutes until the liquid reduces, forming a thick, cohesive sauce. Add the greens and the lemon juice, stir and cover the pot again. Cook for 10 minutes, until the greens release their flavorful juices and soften.<\/p>\n Set aside a few herb tips for serving, then add the remaining herbs to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.<\/p>\n In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites into a stiff meringue, then add the yolks one at a time, mixing well. Gradually ladle in some hot broth from the pot, stirring constantly, until the mixture is well warmed. Pour it into the pot and shake gently to incorporate it into the sauce. Keep the dish warm \u2013 do not return it to the heat.<\/p>\n Serve in deep plates, garnish with the reserved herbs and finish with freshly ground green pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.<\/p>\n This story first appeared in Kathimerini\u2019s food supplement, Gastronomos.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nMethod<\/h3>\n
Once all the offal has been added to the big pot, increase the heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir for about a minute. Deglaze with the wine and let it cook for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.<\/p>\n