Sun Dried Tomato Soup With Wild Mushrooms And Wild Rice Food

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SOUP WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND WILD RICE

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until golden brown, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in garlic; cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the mushrooms and celery; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium low.
• Add the beef broth, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and cayenne. Cook for 1 hour, reducing the heat to low when the soup starts to boil, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, cook the wild rice using the package directions, OMITTING the salt and margarine. Be careful not to overcook.
• Just before serving, stir the rice into the soup. Garnish with green onions.

WILD RICE AND MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle and heat oven to 375 F.
• Grind shitake mushrooms in spice grinder until finely ground (~ 3 tbsp).
• Bring 4 1/2 cups of water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic glove, 3/4 tsp salt, and baking soda to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice and bring to a boil. Cover saucepan, transfer to oven and bake until tender (45-50 minutes at altitude). Strain rice through fine-mesh strainer, collect rice broth for cooking liquid (3 cups). Remove the thyme, bay leaf and garlic.
• Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add creminis, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, 3/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are brown and dark fond develops on bottom of pot, 15 minutes. Add sherry, scraping up any browned bits and cook until reduced and pot is almost dry (~ 2 minutes). Add ground shitakes, reserved rice cooking liquid, broth and soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the onion and mushrooms are tender.
• Whisk cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into soup, retun to simmer and cook until thickened (~ 2min). Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives and lemon zest. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

WILD AND TAME MUSHROOM SOUP WITH WILD RICE AND MADEIRA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, pour the warm water over the dried mushrooms, weighting them down so that they are completely submerged and can soak for 30 minutes. Do not discard the soaking liquid! When soaking time is up, cut off and discard the tough stems (or freeze them for making stock). Squeeze the excess liquid from the mushrooms back into the soaking liquid, then strain the liquid through a dampened coffee filter to remove any fine grit. Slice the shiitake caps into thin shreds and set them aside.
• Wipe the cultivated mushrooms with a damp towel, trim off the stems (save for stock), and slice the mushrooms thickly. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a 7-qt. Dutch oven and saute the shallots in it over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the carrots through the marjoram and cook, stirring, 2 minutes longer. Add both the mushrooms and saute, stirring, for 5 minutes (shiitake should never be eaten uncooked).
• Add the cooked rice, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the tomato paste. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, then let cool slightly.
• Puree the soup in several batches in a blender or food processor. The soup should NOT be too smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and reheat gently on low heat. Stir in the Tabasco and the Madeira, and taste to adjust seasonings. Serve hot, garnished with a few chives.

CREAM OF SUN-DRIED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat.
• Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the stock, tomatoes, potato, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• Puree in a food processor, or blender, in small batches until smooth.
• Strain through a fine sieve if desired.
• Stir in the milk or cream and season with sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Serve garnished with chopped chives.
• This soup gets an additional tomato punch from the concentrated flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes.