Sarasota's Minnesota Turkey, Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

SarasotaCook's Note:

This was a classic growing up. A little creamy, all fresh ingredients, mushrooms from a local farmer, and wild rice from a friend who was from MN, but rented one of our cottages every summer and always brought tons of MN Wild Rice. Now if you don't have turkey leftovers (which I almost always do), use chicken which will work just fine. But there is something about the turkey that is just perfect with this. If I don't have leftover turkey, I often buy a small turkey breast just so I can make this soup, and use the rest for sandwiches. And no turkey stock? ... chicken stock or broth is fine. Just don't skimp on a few things. 1) Sherry wine, 2) REAL wild rice, 3) fresh vegetables and, mushrooms, and; 4) fresh herbs. It just isn't the same otherwise. I can have just a bowl of this for dinner or it makes a great starter, or wonderful with just a salad or grilled sandwich.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 bowls o ...

• 2 cups cooked turkey, diced (you can substitute chicken)
• 1 1/3 cups wild rice, uncooked
• 4 cups mushrooms, thin sliced (I use a mix of cremini, button, shitaki, morel, etc. Just don't use one, mix it up)
• 2 large sweet onions, cut in quarters and thin sliced (2 cups)
• 1 leek, thin sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, cut in half and thin sliced
• 1 1/2 cups celery including celery leaves, thin sliced
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 6 cups turkey broth, more if you like the soup a bit thinner (chicken is fine)
• 1/2 cup sherry wine
• 3/4-1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, fine chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, fine chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, fine chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Soup Base -- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the leeks, onions, celery, fennel and garlic and cook on medium heat until slightly translucent and soft. About 5 minutes.
2. Rice -- Add the rice right to the vegetable mixture and stir until well combined - then add the broth (start with 5 cups; you can always add more as the rice cooks), thyme, rosemary, worcestershire and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low heat (simmer) approximately 30 minutes until the rice is somewhat tender. Once again, taste for seasoning (salt and pepper) and add more broth if necessary. It depends on how thin or thick you like your soup. The soup still has a bit more time to cook which will allow the rice to finish cooking.
3. Mushrooms -- At this point, add the sherry wine and mushrooms and continue to cook another 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and the mushrooms are soft.
4. Finish -- Everything is done - Now to finish off the soup. First, add in the turkey or chicken; and add the heavy cream to the soup. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir and add in any additional seasoning if necessary and the fresh parsley.
5. Serve -- My favorite way to serve this is with a toasted baguette with melted gruyere cheese. Now, if you happen to have truffle oil -- drizzle a little on top, it is heaven. Can't get much better than that! ENJOY!

Reviews

[spreadnjoy]

Loved this recipe! I had to make some changes due to our dietary needs, I didn't use any dairy, mushrooms or onions. I used a wild rice mix I found at the market (not the quick box type) And I roasted a couple chicken breasts in place of turkey... the market was out of turkey :( To make up for the ingredients I had to omit I added fresh dill put in at the same time I put in the rice in the base, at the end I just skipped the step where the milk should be included... The whole recipe comes together very nicely, not to difficult at all! I really don't think it needs the milk, the flavors are very well rounded and full bodied. I can't wait to make this again using leftover Christmas turkey :D

[Mike Ski]

I made this soup a couple weeks ago for my wife and I for dinner. It's a very wholesome and hearty soup, and is filling enough to be the main course with a nice crusty loaf of bread. I used shitake, cremini, and portobello mushrooms, and we had a leftover smoked turkey leg that I used in the soup. The smokiness of the turkey really added a great flavor to the dish. We will definitely make this soup again.