Chestnut Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

Chestnut Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

8 oz fresh Chestnut mushrooms

1 cup wild rice 

½ cup celery, diced 

½ cup onion, diced 

½ cup carrots, diced 

4 cups broth of choice 

1 cup water 

2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice

⅔ cup cream 

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Fresh herbs: a few sprigs each of rosemary, oregano, thyme


Method 

  1. Add cooking oil to stock pot over medium heat, sauté onions for 2-3 minutes
  2. Remove the very ends of the Chestnut mushrooms, add mushrooms to pot 
  3. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, until mushrooms are browned 
  4. Add in carrots, celery, and herbs and continue to cook until carrots begin to soften, about 7 minutes 
  5. Add in wild rice and stir for a few minutes 
  6. Add in broth and water
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover pot with lid 
  8. Cook for 30-45 minutes or however long you need to do that one lingering chore before dinner (but not longer than an hour) 
  9. Uncover and remove the herb stems (use tongs or a fork, it’s hot!)
  10.  Stir in cream, turn off heat, rest a few minutes before serving.
  11. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: this recipe can be easily adapted for a slow cooker. I recommend sautéing the mushrooms and onions before adding to the slow cooker. Add all ingredients except cream to the slow cooker and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Add the cream for the last 15-30 minutes before serving. 

Also: this soup is excellent as a vegan preparation. Use full fat coconut milk in place of cream and skip the cheese.