Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

The hospital where I have worked for the past 20 years has very few things on the menu that withstand the test of that kind of time.  Their wild rice and chicken soup is the only thing that I don't make that I would like to eat.

The current Cook's Illustrated has just such a recipe--add chicken or turkey to it if you like, and make it withe vegetable stock if you want it to be vegetarian.  The method for cooking wild rice is one I hadn't used before.

Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
• 4 1/4 cups water
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, peeled, plus 6 cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2/3 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grind shiitake mushrooms in spice grinder until finely ground (you should have about 3 tablespoons).
2. 2. Bring 4 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic clove, ¾ teaspoon salt, and baking soda to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice and return to boil. Cover saucepan, transfer to oven, and bake until rice is tender, 35 to 50 minutes. Strain rice through fine-mesh strainer set in 4-cup liquid measuring cup; discard thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Add enough water to reserved cooking liquid to measure 3 cups.
3. 3. Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add cremini mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and dark fond develops on bottom of pot, 15 minutes. Add sherry, and cook until reduced, about 2 minutes. Add ground shiitake mushrooms, reserved rice cooking liquid, broth, and soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until onion and mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. 4. Whisk cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup water in small bowl. Stir cornstarch slurry into soup, return to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, and lemon zest. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.