Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Thick, rich, hearty, earthy and comforting – this soup is uniquely different and perfect for the mushroom lover in your house. This Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup is just the ticket for our rainy fall days.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 large sprig of fresh thyme
• 6 cups water
• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces Cremini mushrooms, chopped, tough stems removed
• 1 small leek, halved, rinsed with the white and light green parts thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

1. Put the salt, thyme, whole garlic clove and 6 cups cold water in a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the wild rice. Lower the heat but maintain a steady boil.
2. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Remove the thyme stems and garlic clove and discard. Drain the rice and set aside.
3. Place the porcini in a 2-cup measure. Afterward, pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the mushrooms and set aside until soft, about 15 minutes.
4. In a large soup pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the Crimini mushrooms, minced garlic, sliced leek and tomato paste to the butter, olive oil mixture.
5. Cook stirring occasionally until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 10 minutes. Remove the porcini from the water using a slotted spoon (reserve liquid). Chop the porcini and add to the pot with the leeks and mushrooms.
6. Sprinkle the flour over the cooking vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. Also, add the wine, vegetable broth and the reserved liquid from the porcini (pouring slowly so as to leave any grit behind.) Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a steady simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, fine sea salt, ground black pepper and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.
8. Add the cooked wild rice to the vegetables and broth and cook for 10 minutes.
9. Finally, add the cream and soy sauce and cook until heated through. Serve with a dollop of parsley butter on each bowsl.