Wild rice soup is a favorite among people who visit and live in Minnesota, and harvesting wild rice in the fall has been a Minnesota tradition for many generations of native Ojibwa Indians. This soup is well suited for festive holiday meals.

SERVES 6 to 8.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup wild rice
• 7 cups Vegetable Stock
• 1/3 cup long grain brown rice
• rosemary—dried or fresh, a generous sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 cup white wine (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash wild rice thoroughly.
2. Bring stock to a boil, add wild rice, brown rice, and rosemary. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until rice is tender. While rice is cooking, chop vegetables.
3. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil for about 10 minutes. When rice is tender, add vegetables to the rice.
4. Take 2 cups of the vegetable-rice mixture and puree in blender; add puree to soup.
5. Sauté mushrooms in butter or oil. Puree half of the sautéed mushrooms with the half and half, and add to soup.
6. Add the rest of sautéed mushrooms, parsley, wine, salt, and pepper. Simmer soup, uncovered, until heated through, but do not let it boil.