Fatty Friday Issue #22: From Minnesota, With Love (Continued)

Yay wild rice soup! Here's something I learned from making a batch this week: maybe cook the rice first.

The soup was good. Several sources responded positively. But. The rice needs to cook until tender - my opinion. Who knew wild rice was so tough? Guess I should have known, since its such a hearty breed of grain; all complicated and hard shelled. Just like those quiet, strong midwestern boys. Ahem.

All I'm saying is, when you try it, make the soup in different batches. The broth in one pot. The roux in another (with some of the broth), the rice boiling in another and the chicken and veggies sauteeing in a pan all by themselves. Then add everything into the broth pot and let simmer, finally adding the sherry and the half and half. Oh, you will love this soup. Trust!

Fatty Friday Issue #22: From Minnesota, With Love

I went home with the man for Christmas this year - out Minnesota way. It was great to spend time with him and his family in their beautiful state, eating delicious food and just generally having a good time. The one thing I came away with was that yes, Minnesota is cold, but a) it lacks the scarily wet/cold wind of New York and b) the scenery is GORGEOUS in this pristine, crystal-clear way and c) the people are so gosh-darn nice!

Before we left I asked my boo what types of foods were specifically Minnesotan. His first response was "hot dish" - east coasters call this "casserole". I love casserole, so I figured I'd be happy whatever we ate. What he neglected to mention is that wild rice is a staple of Minnesotan cuisine, since it is native to the region. This nutty, flavorful seed (its not a rice) is not only very delicious, but also very smart: the seeds germinate and mature at different rates, growing throughout the year, since the frost can kill it. So, sections of seed grow at specific times year-round to ensure full maturation without freezing the baby seeds. You can read all you want about wild rice, and even buy some, here.

Anyway, why was I so psyched about seeds?? Well, wild rice soup is something to be loved whole-heartedly. It's hearty and creamy and so comforting on a cold day. It's the soup that you need but don't know you've needed it until you have it...and then you're totally in love.

So here, a recipe that seemed to closely resemble the deliciousness I tasted in Minnesota (alas, I wasn't able to steal the recipes while I was there). I found two recipes, which I can't wait to try later this week, one is from the blog Angel in the Kitchen and the other is from Home Ec 101. I'm not sure which I'll try yet, but I'll probably go with the first one. Enjoy!


Angie's Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Serves 8

3 c. cooked wild rice or long grain and wild rice combination (1 c. uncooked)
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, diced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 c. canola oil or olive oil
1 c. flour
8 c. chicken broth
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. dry sherry (optional)
1 c. fat-free half and half

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil to medium-high. Add onion, carrot, celery, and chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add bay leaf. Sauté about 3-5 minutes, or until the veggies are softened.

2. Sprinkle in flour, a little bit at a time, stirring and cooking until flour is blended in. (Don't let it brown.)

It'll start to look very paste-like, but this is OK. This is forming the roux to thicken up the soup, and your veggies and chicken will again return to their usual forms.

3. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring until the broth and roux are blended.

4. Add the wild rice, and adjust your seasonings. Heat thoroughly.

5. Add the sherry and the half and half. Reheat gently, but do not boil. Remove bay leaf before serving.