Agristada (Sephardic Egg-Lemon Sauce)

Agristada is a silky egg-and-lemon sauce from the Sephardic Jewish kitchen, spooned over poached fish, meatballs, or vegetables to bring a bright, tangy finish. It’s a close cousin of Greek avgolemono, made thick enough to coat a spoon.

Ingredients

• 2 cups broth (fish, chicken, or vegetable, depending on use)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
• 2 eggs
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the broth
   Bring the broth to a gentle simmer in a saucepan.
2. Make a slurry
   Whisk the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then whisk into the simmering broth to thicken slightly.
3. Whisk the eggs
   In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the lemon juice until well combined.
4. Temper the eggs
   Slowly ladle a cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly, to prevent curdling.
5. Combine and thicken
   Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly over low heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
6. Season and serve
   Season with salt to taste and spoon warm over fish, meatballs, or stewed vegetables.