Cycladic Psarosoupa Avgolemono (Ψαρόσουπα Αυγολέμονο)

Cycladic psarosoupa is fish soup from the island table, a whole firm fish poached over potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion, then finished with avgolemono, the egg-lemon thickening that turns a clear broth pale and silky. The fish stays whole because the bones give the pot its strength, and because the table should see what fed it.

The method that decides the dish is the avgolemono. You warm the eggs with hot broth a ladle at a time, whisking as you go, so they thicken the soup instead of curdling. After that, no boiling. Be firm there and the rest is gentle cooking.

Use the fish that is good today. Sea bream, sea bass, dentex, grouper, or another firm white fish will do. Λίγα και καλά, a few things, and good ones. My own notes for psarosoupa always have the same warning in the margin: buy the fish before you decide the soup.