Lynn Elliott (Way-Cool Cooking School, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
Serves 4
Minnesota is known for being the land of 10,000 lakes. Around those beautiful lakes, wild rice grows and is a favorite to be served as a side dish or in a soup. Wild rice has a wonderful nutty flavor and, when it is paired with cranberries in this delicious soup, the flavors marry together wonderfully to create the perfect combination on a cold Minnesota day.
½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter
1 carrot, finely minced
1 celery stalk, finely minced
½ cup finely minced onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock; see this page)
1½ cups cooked wild rice
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup milk or half-and-half
2 tablespoons sherry
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion; cook and stir until the carrot is tender (about 8 minutes).
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir until smooth, and gradually add the stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Increase the heat and stir until the soup is thickened (about 5 minutes). Stir in cooked rice and cranberries. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are soft and plump (about 15 minutes).
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. The soup should keep for 3 days in a refrigerator.
To cook wild rice, first rinse in a strainer under cold running water. Bring 2 cups of water, ½ cup of rice, and ½ teaspoon of salt to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rice kernels open and are slightly chewy (about 45-55 minutes). Drain well. Makes 1½ cups of cooked rice.