What you need,
1 tbsp. olive oil
6 slices of bacon, sliced thinly crosswise
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
½ cup raw wild rice
6 cups low sodium chicken broth, homemade if you have it
15 sprigs fresh thyme
10 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
6 sprigs fresh sage
1 bay leaf
(Tie all the herbs together in a bundle with kitchen twine)
5 tbsp. butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
Salt and Pepper
1½ cups heavy cream
For Garnish,
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
½ cup chopped fresh chives
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until the fat is rendered and the
bacon is crisp, it should take about 5-6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat well in the
bacon fat. Let the mushrooms cook for 4-6 minutes on one side without stirring
until they are well browned. Stir in the celery, carrot and onion; let them
cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat, and then
add the broth and the herb bundle. Bring the soup to boil and reduce heat to a
gentle simmer. Cook the soup uncovered until the rice is tender but still it
still has a little crunch, 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium
high heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture darkens to a
caramel color, 3-4 minutes. Watch it carefully you don’t want it to burn. Set
aside off heat.
Once the rice is cooked, pick out the herb bundle and throw
it away. Whisk the butter/flour mixture into the soup a little at a time, it
will thicken very quickly. The soup may seem a little thick at this point but
the cream will thin it out. If it is very thick you can add a splash more
stock.
Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Then add the cream and stir well to combine.
Ladle some of the soup into bowls, and then sprinkle on some
of the toasted almonds and the chives. Serve right away.
Jen of My Tiny Oven
