Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

When my friend, Julie of Hostess at Heart, posted this mouthwatering soup, I knew that I had to make it for my mushroom-loving Thanksgiving guests. (My family!) It was very well received. 🙂

I adapted the recipe by cooking the wild rice on the stove top in an enameled cast iron pot instead of in the oven. I made it in advance and froze it without any issues. It was earthy, full-flavored, and absolutely fabulous.

Yield: Serves 12

• 1 1/2 cups wild rice
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 
2 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, plus 8 additional cloves, minced
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• scant 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.4 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (I used a combination of dried portobello & shiitakes)
• 6 T unsalted butter
• 24 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium or 1 1/2 large yellow onions, chopped fine
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 T light soy sauce
• 6 T cornstarch
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 6 T minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish, optional

1. Bring water, thyme, bay leaf, 2 garlic cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and baking soda to boil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and return to a boil. (I used an enameled cast iron pot.)
2. Cover saucepan and cook over low heat until rice is tender, about 55 minutes.
3. Strain rice through a fine-mesh strainer set in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup; discard thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Add enough water to reserved cooking liquid to measure 4 1/2 cups.
4. Grind shiitake mushrooms in a spice grinder until finely ground. (You should have about 4 1/2 tablespoons.)
5. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat.
6. Add cremini mushrooms, onions, minced garlic, tomato paste, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
7. Cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and dark fond develops on bottom of pot, about 15 minutes.
8. Add sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced and pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
9. Add ground mushrooms, reserved rice cooking liquid, chicken broth, and soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until onions and mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes.
10. In a small bowl, place 6 tablespoons of simmering liquid from pot and whisk in the cornstarch.
11. Stir cornstarch slurry into soup, return to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
12. Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, and lemon zest.
13. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

One Year Ago:

• Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Two Years Ago:

• Fresh & Wild Mushroom Stew
• Kabocha Squash Puree with Browned Butter & Sage
• Kabocha Squash Sauté with Bacon & Sage

Three Years Ago:

• Spiced Red Lentil Soup

Four Years Ago:

• Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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