Wednesday Kitchen - Boundary Waters Wild Rice Soup

This week on Wednesday Kitchen, the JET Team is cooking up a family favorite soup recipe - in fact, it's everybody's family favorite!

I'm just unsure what to call it, or who deserves the credit! If you grew up in Minnesota, you knew Dayton's, which then became Dayton Hudson, which was then purchased by Marshall Fields, which was then purchased by Macy's. So at this stage, Macy's is taking credit for this recipe from the 1960s, and all I can tell you is that it is soul satisfying and heartwarming, and good in all seasons!

Photo: daiseyjaney.com

This is a very healthy dish. Ok, so there is a little heavy cream. You could always modify and use a fat free milk but really....... why would you do this to such a wonderful bowl of goodness?!

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 small leek, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced
• 1½ cup sliced button mushrooms
• ¾ cup diced carrots
• ½ cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1½ cups cooked wild rice
• ½ roasted chicken, skin and bones removed and meat chopped (1 to 1½ cups)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tbsp dry sherry
• 2 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish

Photo: chow.com

To Make

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat
2. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent
3. Add leek, mushrooms and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally
4. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally
5. Whisk in chicken broth
6. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes
7. Add remaining ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes, until warmed through
8. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary
9. Ladle into bowls, garnish with almonds and serve hot

Photo: gettystewart.com

Note: To toast almonds, spread nuts in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until almonds are lightly browned and fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. From The Marshall Field's Cookbook

Lynn