Wild Rice Soup

There are few things that will warm your little tummy up on a chilly day like creamy chicken wild rice soup. Here in Minnesota we go crazy for it! The original recipe calls for sherry, but..I don't have any sherry, what is sherry? Why can you only buy sherry by the jug it seems? A local merchant once told me that any recipe that calls for sherry can easily be substituted with a dry white wine, I actually use a sauvignon blanc, nothing fancy. But if you do have sherry stocked in your cupboards, dig it out and use it!


Wild Rice Soup (From Lunds and Byerly's)

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/3 cup minced ham (can also use chicken or turkey)
3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons dry white wine
snipped fresh parsley or chives

In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and white wine; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.
Amount: 6 cups.

Tip: One-half cup uncooked wild rice=1 1/2 to 2 cups, cooked. If you can, use MN Wild Rice and keep it real!