Wild Rice Soup--Byerly's

As northerners refer to wild rice as "Minnesota Caviar," here's a hearty soup that reminds me of home. We stock up on wild rice whenever we return home since it's not widely used (and is more expensive!) throughout the rest of the country. I haven't tasted a better recipe, and I've tried plenty!

6 TBSP butter
1 TBSP minced onion
½ cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/3 cup minced ham
½ cup finely grated carrots
3 TBSP chopped slivered almonds
½ tsp. salt (optional)
1 cup half and half (I often use a can of evaporated milk)
2 TBSP dry sherry (optional, but mmm...it's so good)
minced parsley or chives for garnish

Melt butter in saucepan; sauté onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute. Stir in rice, ham, carrots, almonds, and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with minced parsley or chives.

Amount: 6 cups

This soup freezes well! You may want to undercook the rice if you're planning on having leftovers. Otherwise, the rice tends to curl up and look a bit like something you experimented with in high school science lab!

This recipe is from Byerly’s, a Minnesota Fine Grocer