Lemony olive oil sauce enriches Greek beef and rice meatballs

The eggs are beaten until frothy while the lemon juice is drizzled in. Then warm liquid from a broth or sauce is added slowly to the mixture to temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling. Finally, the tempered mixture is slowly incorporated into the dish.

A particularly delicious example is a dish called youvarlakia avgolemono, in which beef and rice meatballs dot a lemony soup that’s rich and velvety with egg yolks.

But the avgolemono was a bit fussy for our weeknight standards, so we streamlined it for this recipe in our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region.

To simplify, we pair the meatballs with a quick pan sauce inspired by Greek ladolemono, a whisked sauce of lemon, olive oil and oregano. Putting the egg instead into the ground beef mixture adds richness while also acting as a binder, along with cooked rice that we mash with a fork. A generous amount of chopped dill lends the dish fresh herbal notes.

Don’t use uncooked rice. If the rice is raw, the grains won’t cook through in time. Thawed frozen, store-bought shelf-stable, or home-cooked leftover long-grain rice all do nicely. Just make sure it’s at room temperature so the grains are easy to mash with a fork. Serve with warmed pita bread or a rice or orzo pilaf.

Start to finish: 40 minutes

• 1 cup cooked long-grain white rice, room temperature
• 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, divided
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, divided
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large bowl, mash the rice with a fork until smooth and pasty. Add the bread, ¼ cup of broth, 2 tablespoons of dill, 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, mix and mash the ingredients to a paste. Add the beef, egg yolk, half of the garlic and 1 teaspoon of oregano, then mix with your hands until the mixture is homogeneous. Divide into 12 portions, form into smooth balls and place on a plate. Refrigerate, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook without disturbing until lightly browned on the bottoms, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn the meatballs and cook until browned on the second sides, about another 3 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ¾ cup broth, then scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, gently stirring once or twice, until the centers reach 160°F, 5 to 7 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and tent with foil. Bring the liquid in the pan to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick enough that a spatula drawn through it leaves a trail, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons dill.

For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap