Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

 

Ingredients:

* 1/2 Red Onion, diced finely

* 1cup Carrots, diced finely

* 1/2cup Celery, diced finely 

* 2tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 3tbsp Unsalted Butter 

* 2 + 1/2cups Cremini Mushrooms, diced finely 

* 4 Cloves of Garlic, diced finely

* 1cup Wild Rice and Brown Rice Blend

* 1tsp Poultry Seasoning 

* Pepper and Salt to taste

* 4cups Vegetable Broth 

* 1cup Water 

* 2/3cup + 3tbsps Cream (unchilled)

* 1/2cup Parmeson Cheese, finely grated/ shredded 

For Garnish:

* 8-10 Cremini Mushrooms 

* 4tbsps Unsalted Butter 

* Salt and Pepper to taste 

* Grated Parmeson Cheese 

Directions:

1. Measure out the cream and set aside at room temperature while you make the rest of the soup. 

2. Add the olive oil and butter to a large pot (stock pot or larger pot that you make soup in), and heat on medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and onion to the pan, once the butter has started to melt and the pan is hot. Fry up the veges for approximately 5-8 minutes, until the veges become tender (onions semi-transluscent). 

3. Next add in the garlic and mushrooms, mix it around to ensure they are all coated with butter and oil, and fry for another 2-4 minutes. Do not keep stirring the mushrooms (only mix once). After a 2 minutes stir the mixture again ensuring even frying. 

4. After about 3 minutes of frying, add in the wild rice (uncooked) and stir to ensure even coating. Fry the up the mixture for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper now. 

5. Next add in the vegetable broth, and 1 cup of water. Stir to ensure it is mixed well, and bring to boil on medium heat. Once the soup is at a boil (2-3 minutes), reduce heat to low-medium and cover your pan/stock pot and let simmer/cook for 45 minutes (5-10 minutes more if you feel the rice is not cooked at the 45 minute mark). 

6. Once the soup is ready, stir in the cream and slowly stir in the grated parmeson a little at a time (ensure the cheese does not stick together and clump). Let the soup simmer on low heat for an additional 2 minutes until the cream and cheese have blended in. Add more pepper and salt to taste should you feel it needs it. 

7. Take off the heat and serve warm. 

8. While the soup is simmering, using a frying pan, melt the butter for the garnish. Add the mushrooms (stems removed) and add salt and pepper to taste. Fry the mushrooms up for 1-2 minutes. Once cooked - remove from oil and transfer to a plate and set aside to garnish the soup. 

9. Once the soup is ready, ladel out the soup into bowls of your choice, add a few mushrooms on top, and grate some parmeson cheese over. Serve immidiately. Best served with Garlic toast or bread rolls of your choice. 

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