Recipe: Wild Rice Soup

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Earthy and warming, a bowl of this soup will chase the chill on a cold or damp night. A little smoked turkey adds a lot of flavor; ham or cooked sausage work equally well. Be sure to use hand-harvested wild rice (it's a lighter brown in color and cooks in far less time, with woodsy, nutty flavor that yields a terrific broth). From Beth Dooley.

• 3/4 c. uncooked wild rice

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 c. diced celeriac root or celery ribs

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 3 c. reserved stock from wild rice or chicken stock (or mix of both), more if needed

• 1/2 c. cream

• Generous pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

To cook wild rice: Put the wild rice into a colander or sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Place in a large pot and add about 4 to 6 inches of cold water. Set over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook just until the rice kernels open and are tender, but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, drain and reserve the cooking water.

To prepare soup: In a 3-quart saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the celeriac, carrot, onion, mushrooms, parsley and thyme, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and "sweat" the vegetables to release their juices, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the vegetables have browned.

Stir in the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown nubs. Then add the cream, sherry and wild rice. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Serve garnished with a little parsley.

Calories200

Fat10 g

Sodium50 mg

Carbohydrates24 g

Saturated fat6 g

Protein5 g

Cholesterol30 mg

Dietary fiber3 g