Egg Drop Soup

Directions

1. 1
   Bring 3 cups of the stock to a boil in a 6- to 8-cup saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. 2
   Beat the remaining stock with the eggs and soy sauce until well blended.
3. 3
   When the stock is boiling, adjust the heat so that it bubbles frequently but not furiously.
4. 4
   Add the egg mixture in a steady stream, stirring all the while.
5. 5
   Stir occasionally until the eggs gather together in small curds, 2 or 3 minutes.
6. 6
   Taste and add salt (or more soy sauce), if necessary, then add plenty of pepper, the scallion, and the sesame oil.
7. 7
   Taste again, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
8. 8
   When you use eggs to thicken a sauce or stew, you keep the heat low to gain a smooth, creamy result.
9. 9
   In egg drop soup, whether it is Chinese or Italian or Greek, you do just the oppositekeep the heat relatively high so the eggs cook in shreds, or curds.
10. 10
    The result is lightning-fast soup of real substance.