My Summer Soup (serves 6-8 as part of a meal)

I look forward to the summer in the Northeast for the abundance of fresh locally-grown produce.  The farmer's market is full of colorful vegetables for many cooking inspirations.  Yesterday my husband and I stopped at a local farm stand and we bought sweet corn and beautiful zucchini. My mother gave me some of her hand-picked Maine crab meat, fresh cilantro and chrysanthemum from the garden. Today I decided to make this soup and used a fresh duck egg from Cracked an Egg Farm. The result is delicious!

Ingredients:

30 oz chicken stock, plus 14 oz water)
2 (7-8 oz each) zucchini, shredded (yield 3 1/2 C shredded)
1 C Maine crab meat (preferably fresh)
1 small carrot, shredded (yield 1/2 C shredded)
1/2 medium onion, shredded
1/2 C chopped scallions
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fish sauce (or according to your taste)
1 duck egg, whisk lightly

Method:

1) Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2) Once the pot is hot add carrot and onion, saute for about 1 minute.
3) Add zucchini and crab meat, saute for about 1 minute.
4) Add chicken stock and water.  Stir a few times and let the broth heat up to a simmer.  About 6-7 minutes.
5) Once the broth has heated up add scallions, cilantro and fish sauce.  Put the whisked duck egg in a bag and cut a small hole (about 2-3 mm) on one corner.  In one hand stir the contents in the pot with a spatula in a circle while on the other hand drizzle the egg from the bag into the pot.  This will make the egg look more like threads instead of clumps.  Once done turn off heat.

fresh local zucchini

shredded zucchini

*This soup takes about 10 minutes to make.  Prior to adding the egg make sure the broth is just simmering.  If you prefer not to use crab meat you can add shrimp, pork or chicken (add one or a combination of these) in the soup.  I normally mince the shrimp, pork or chicken with my cleaver before adding them to the soup.  Instead of chicken stock you can use beef or pork broth.  If you use store bought stock make sure to buy the low-sodium and low fat one.  Adjust the fish sauce according to your taste.
*I took a large handful of chrysanthemum leaves and added to half of the pot. I let the hot soup cook the leaves about a minute, just long enough to make the leaves wilt.  

with chrysanthemum added