Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Ham (or Chicken) Soup

This is an outstanding soup, so good that you’ll want to serve it often to your family and fancy enough to serve to guests. It’s easy to make.

You can use either chicken or ham for this recipe.  (The picture at the right shows chicken.)  Both are good.

1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped or the equivalent in dry mushrooms
1 large carrot, grated
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 14.5 ounce cans of chicken broth
2 cups cooked ham or chicken, diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme (if you use chicken)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste (salt will vary depending on broth used)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
water

Directions

1. Wash the wild rice, place it in s saucepan, cover it with water and simmer it on very low heat until the rice is tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes.
2. Sauté the chopped onion and carrot in the butter.  Sprinkle the cornstarch over the butter and onion and stir to make a paste.  Add a little of the broth and stir to further dissolve the cornstarch.  Add the rest of the broth and heat to a boil to gelatinize the starch in thicken the soup. 
3. Add the wild rice and ham or chicken.  Add the sugar, salt, and thyme if any.  Add the cream.  Bring back to simmer but do not boil.  Test for seasoning and serve.