+GFO +SFO
Eating this creamy and hearty soup on a cold winter’s night is as comforting as being wrapped up in your favorite blanket with fuzzy socks. The velvety broth is the perfect partner for the rustic and chewy wild rice, and the earthy and savory flavors are so welcoming when the temperatures start to fall.
The base of the soup is simple vegetable broth with a classic roux to give it body. The chik’n is shredded jackfruit and the rest of the ingredients are exactly what you’d expect in wild rice soup: onion, celery, shallot, carrot and of course, wild rice. Together, these whole foods come together as one body and soul–warming meal. —LM + AM
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 (20-oz [565-g]) can young green jackfruit in brine
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable broth
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
2 (32-oz [946-ml]) containers vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 cup (210 g) uncooked wild rice, rinsed
1 tbsp (3 g) dried Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
6 tbsp (87 g) vegan butter (use soy-free)
½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour (use gluten-free)
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsweetened almond or soy milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Drain the jackfruit and rinse well. Squeeze the jackfruit to remove the excess liquid and place it on a rimmed baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool and shred with two forks or in a food processor. Set it aside.
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil or broth over medium-high heat and add the jackfruit, onion, shallot, celery and carrots, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. Stir often. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, making sure to scrape up the stuck-on bits and pieces. Add the vegetable broth, water, wild rice, Italian seasoning and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, or until the rice is cooked.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Whisk continuously for 1 minute. Whisk in the almond milk, and keep whisking until it’s smooth and creamy. Whisk it into the soup until it’s well combined and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.