Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
from the kitchen of Ellen and thanks to Cook's Illustrated

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 oz dried shitake mushrooms, rinsed
• 4 1/4 cups water
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, peeled, plus 4 cloves, minced
• salt and peper
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 2/3 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/3 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Adjust:

• oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grind shitake mushrooms in spice grinder until finely ground (you should have about 3 tbs).

Bring:

• 4 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic clove, 3/4 tsp salt, and baking soda to boil in medium saucepan over high heat.  Add rice and return to boil.  Cover saucepan, transfer to oven, and back until rice is tender, 35-50 minutes.  Strain rice through fine mesh strainer set in 4-cup liquid measuring cup; discard thyme, bay leaf, and garlic.  Add enough water to reserved cooking liquid to measure 3 cups.

Melt:

• butter in Dutch oven over high heat.  Add cremini mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and dark fond develops on botton of pot, 15 minutes.  Add sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced and pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes.  Add ground shitake mushrooms, reserved rice cooking liquid, broth, and soy sauce and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until onion and mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes.

Whisk:

• cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup water in small bowl.  Stir cornstarch slurry into soup, return to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, and lemon zest.  Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.