Recipe: Tomato and Wild Rice Soup

Tomato and Wild Rice Soup
rec.food.recipes/
Serves 4

This soup can be frozen. The wild rice can be omitted for a lighter soup; or, for a thick soup, use pasta if no wild rice is at hand. Because the soup must simmer for almost an hour to cook the wild rice, some of the liquid will be lost. Replenish with stock or water.

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons fruity virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk young celery, chopped
6 large tomatoes, peeled but not seeded, and chopped
or
2 (16 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped

2 cups chicken or beef stock (more to replenish if necessary)
1/2 cup wild rice, washed and picked over
Salt to taste, if desired
1 grinding fresh black pepper
Pinch sugar
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, or teaspoon dried
1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche, optional

Place butter and olive oil in a medium (3-quart) saucepan, with lid. Heat until the butter is melted; add onion, carrot and celery. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and partially cooked, about 10 minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes, stock and wild rice. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and boil gently.....just above a simmer.....until rice opens and fluffs, about 1 hour. Add salt, pepper, sugar and basil. Stir frequently. If the liquid boils away too much, replenish with additional stock or water. (If you wish a thick soup, don't add liquid.)

For a richer soup add cream or creme fraiche. Heat after adding.

Serve from a heated tureen into heated soup plates. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to garnish.