Cranberry Wild Rice Soup

Inspired once again by the top quality recipes provided by Chef Jules, I made another one of his nourishing soups. This time around it was a rather unusual soup that appealed to me because of the unique blend of flavors and the colorful presentation. It's as good as it sounds and looks, and it's really easy to prepare besides. I've made a few minor modifications, but essentially just followed the original recipe. Add more salt and a few teaspoons of celery seed if you are not using vegetable stock.

Cranberry Wild Rice Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on October 23, 2007 Classic fall flavors of cranberries and wild rice cooked with vegetables in a colorful, simple, warming and delicious bowl of soup Print this recipe Ingredients: 2/3 cup wild rice 3 cups water 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 carrot, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 green onion, chopped 3 tablespoons unbleached white flour 3 cups vegetable stock 2/3 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons red wine 1/4 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste small handful fresh parsley, chopped Instructions: Rinse the wild rice in a strainer. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and begins to puff open. Drain and set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion, and sauté for 8 minutes or until the carrot is tender. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the vegetable stock, whisking as you add it to prevent lumps from forming. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Next add the rice and cranberries. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cranberries are soft and plump. Stir in the milk, yogurt, wine, sage, and salt and pepper. Cook for another few minutes to let the flavors mingle, stirring occasionally. Serve hot or warm, garnished with the chopped parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings