Wild Rice, Mushroom Curry Soup

Enough grousing about politics, time for another recipe. Here’s one of our favorite soups. You can even make a vegetarian version of this by using veggie broth instead of chick broth. If you like your soups richer, replace the broth with a stock (oddly, I’ve always liked Swanson’s and it turns out others do too — both Consumer’s Reports and Cooks Illustrated rate their stocks and broths highly). Recipe serves four.

Curry Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 c shitake mushrooms, sliced

1 c crimini (or white button) mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c celery, sliced

1/4 c flour

6 c chick broth

1/3 c dry sherry

parsley, scallion chopped for a garnish 

Rice

1/2 c wild rice

1/2 c regular rice

Seasoning mix

2 t curry

1/2 t powdered mustard

1/2 t thyme

1/4 t black pepper 

Cook rice. Start the wild rice (using a 3.5 to 1 water-to-rice ratio). Cook 25 minutes. Add regular rice and additional water (use a 2 to 1 ratio). Cook till just this side of al dente (another 15-18 minutes). While rice cooks prepare the soup.

In large pot, sauté onion in butter/olive oil till just beginning to brown, 7 - 8 min

Add mushrooms and celery and sauté another 7 - 8 minutes (add butter or oil if needed)

Add flour, incorporate

Add spice mix, incorporate

Add chicken broth, simmer 7 - 8 min

Add sherry, simmer 7 - 8 min

Add cooked rice, simmer 7 - 8 min

Serve with garnishes, crusty baguette and a salad.