Wild Rice Soup

My mother's favorite cookbook was Fanny Farmer.  That cookbook had basic recipes for everything you could think of.  Kind of like The Betty Crocker Cookbook, but a little more sophisticated.  Like Betty Crocker in heels.  I learned how to make roux from Fanny Farmer when I was 11, which led to an awesome cheese souffle, which led to wanting to make everything, which... basically.... led here.

I love regional cookbooks and stumbled across one in the cupboard of the lake house a couple of weeks ago.  It was called Marblehead Cooks, as in Marblehead Massachusetts. There were notations in it from the owner, which made me take notice of a few of the recipes.  I contacted the lake house owner to ask her if she would mind if I shared them on the blog.

The following recipe is from that cookbook. The notation of "excellent" in the border was all the nudge I needed to try it.  It was the easiest soup I ever made.  Simple, but deliciously satisfying.  Nutty and creamy with a hint of Sherry.  You have to cook the rice before you make the soup and that takes 45 minutes to an hour (you could do it the night before), but after that it only takes about 20 minutes.  Easy, quick, inexpensive, DELICIOUS, good for you;  what's not to love?

Wild Rice Soup 

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

½ cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups cooked wild rice

½ teaspoon salt

A pinch of dried thyme

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Snipped parsley or chives

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion until tender.  Blend in the flour and cook for 2 minutes; gradually stir in the broth.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in the rice, thyme and salt.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature.  Garnish with parsley and /or chives.