Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

I am delighted to introduce you to Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup - a delicious, very nutritious and satisfying meal that you can throw together in less than 25 minutes. Each bowl is a place where nutty wild rice meets garlicky fried mushrooms in a slightly salty soy and miso broth. You're going to love the moment where you pop the poached egg with your spoon and see the yolk ooze over the mushrooms. A mouthful of garlic mushrooms in a rice runny egg yolk is heavenly!

My inspiration for Mushroom and Wild Rice soup comes from a starter I had on a recent holiday in Madeira. It was here I discovered the magic of the poached egg and mushroom combo. Mushrooms and poached egg seem like two strangers who quickly discover a shared wavelength and continue to be lifelong friends. They have a similar texture and flavour profile that transforms into a velvety umami taste paradise when combined.

I wanted to create a satisfying meal that incorporated the key elements of the mushroom and poached egg starter I enjoyed on holiday. I have added wild rice to make the soup more filling and used miso and soy to recreate the light and salty broth.

Why you should make Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup:

• Quick - the soup will be ready in less than 25 minutes and will be even quicker if you use a packet of microwaveable pre-cooked rice.
  
• Healthy - each bowl of this soup is packed with nutritional goodness. The rice is a great source of fibre and antioxidants and the eggs provide omega 3 and valuable protein. Mushrooms are one of the few food sources of vitamin D so the soup is an excellent choice during the cold and dark winter months.

• Satisfying - this soup should keep you full for a while because of the protein and fibre content.

Ingredients and possible alternatives:

1. Rice - provides some much needed slow releasing carbohydrates to keep you fuelled for a few hours. Its firm and chewy texture contrasts the smooth butteriness of the mushrooms and poached egg. I use uncooked wild & basmati rice, but this can be swapped for another rice type with similar texture like brown rice.
   
2. Mushrooms - most mushroom types will be yummy in this soup so feel free to use what's available. I recommend a mixture of 2-3 varieties to keep things interesting. My go-to is an Asian mushroom trio mix containing enoki, oyster and shimeji. I've also made the soup with button mushrooms and enjoyed it just as much.
   
3. Eggs - I encourage you not to skimp here and buy the best eggs you can afford. The runny poached egg is the star of the show and choosing a high quality egg with a rich yolk will maximise the soup's taste potential. Clarence Court Burford Browns (UK Brand) have been my go-to for a long time. Their yolks have a wonderful richness that other eggs often lack.

Other variations:

• Serve as a starter - skip the rice and serve smaller quantities of mushrooms and broth, but make sure you keep the runny poached egg.
• Speed up the process - use a microwaveable packet of ready cooked wild & basmati rice to save some cooking time
• Make it vegan - substitute the poached eggs for nuts.

How to make mushroom and wild rice soup:

1. Cook the rice

Wash the rice until the water runs clear and add to a pan of generously salted boiling water. Cook the rice according to packet instructions (usually around 20 minutes). Drain and set aside when ready.

2. Fry the mushrooms and garlic

Meanwhile, add oil to a frying pan, set to a high heat and fry the mushrooms until slightly brown. Reduce the heat to medium, add the crushed garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

3. Prepare the broth

Add 500ml of water to a saucepan, bring it to boil, then reduce to a low heat and stir in the miso and soy sauce.

4. Poach the eggs

Crack each egg into a small bowl/ramekin, bring a pan of water to boil and reduce to a medium heat. Gently drop each egg into the simmering water in turn and cook for 3 minutes. When they're done gently remove each egg with a sieve or strainer.

5. Assemble the soup

You can assemble the soup while the poached eggs are cooking. Add rice to the bowls, followed by the cooked mushrooms, pour on the broth and top each bowl with a poached egg.

How long will Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup keep for?

This isn't a dish that lends itself to leftovers or batch cooking, but luckily it's very quick to make. The soup is not suitable for freezing in its entirety, but the cooked mushrooms and broth could be frozen individually for up to 3 months.

The ingredients in the soup can be refrigerated for a couple of days, but I recommend storing them individually. Sometimes I make the rice and mushrooms ahead of time and refrigerate overnight for a speedy lunch the next day.

More vegetarian soup recipes:

• Zesty Green Soup With Lemon & Parmesan
• Easy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
• Mexican Style Corn Soup Recipe

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