Winter is coming.
While Sandy did not hit us as hard as it did a couple states North of us, she did blow two days of rain, wind and cold into town. So it's time for cold weather comfort foods. Staying in over the weekend, I came up with a Cream of Rice soup to keep the chill at bay.
Traditional Cream of Rice soup is chicken broth-based with chunks of chicken in it. Carnivores may opt for this by replacing the vegetable broth and adding bite sized chucks of chicken.
- 1/2 heaping cup of rice (white, brown, wild, any of them will work. I made it with brown. If using wild rice, remember it takes longer to cook)
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups strong vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup carrot, sliced thin.
- 3/4 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 tsp of salt (max, the vegetable broth and margarine/butter will have salt as well)
- 1/4 tsp of black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 tsp of thyme
(- some chopped green onion, maybe a third of one. I added this, but I think it is optional.)
- 1/3 cup of flour
- 5-7 cups whole milk or half n' half (Or blended together. You want creamy, but you want the flavor of the broth. How rich is your call.)
(And sorry about the imprecise measurements. I don't really measure exactly as I go along.)
Now damn the calories, full speed ahead.
Cook rice in vegetable broth. It will be soupy, that's o.k.. You want the extra broth. As the rice is close to completion, add the frozen peas and set to medium heat to finish cooking as you prepare the rest.
In a large saucepan, melt the margarine. Add onion, celery and carrots. Sauté over medium heat (maybe a touch higher) until tender and onions are translucent. Add salt, pepper, and thyme (and green onion if you want).
Add flour and cook until golden brown. You are making a roux. Add the milk slowly, a little at a time, mixing each splosh in fully. It will thicken quickly at first into a paste the first couple times, then start to become a thick sauce. Then a thinner sauce. Then a thick soup. When you have about half the milk in, start to alternate it with the vegetable broth mixture, mixing fully, letting to cook a bit between each one. After everything is in, taste and adjust your seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and let it sit for a while to thicken some more.
Warm and cozy.
YOU ARE READING
Kip's Cookery
Non-FictionWhile you all are waiting (patiently) for more John & Jenny's adventures in India, I thought I would share another of my creative sides.
