Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Been starting to feel a little like Fall around here, so I wanted to try some new soup recipes.  I found this one and was interested to try it for the earthy flavors and savory, creamy base.  Thanks to Cook's Illustrated for the inspiration, slightly modified to work with my diet.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

1/4 oz dried porcini mushrooms, ground in a spice grinder until finely ground (about 3 Tbsp)

4 C water

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Salt/Pepper to taste

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 C wild rice

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine dice

1 tsp tomato paste

2/3 C dry sherry

4 C chicken broth

1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or if you can do soy, use tamari or soy sauce)

1/4 C arrowroot powder (or if you can do corn,  use cornstarch)

1/2 C heavy cream (or if you can't do dairy, use 1/2 coconut creme)

1/4 C minced chives

1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Prep the rice

Heat oven to 375 degrees and position the rack to the middle position in the oven.  In a dutch oven, bring 4 cups water, thyme sprig, bay leaf, peeled garlic clove, 3/4 tsp salt, and baking soda to a boil on the stove over med high heat.  Add rice and return to a boil.  Cover the dutch oven and transfer to the oven.  Bake until rice is tender, approximately 35-50 minutes. Strain the rice through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup.  Discard the thyme, bay leaf, and garlic clove.  Add enough water to the cooking liquid to measure 3 cups.  Set aside.

Prep the soup

In another dutch oven or large stockpot, heat butter over high heat.  Add mushrooms and onion, 3/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to brown.  Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook until a dark fond develops at the bottom of the pot.  Add the sherry and scrape up any browned bits and cook until reduced and the pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes.  Add ground porcini mushrooms, reserved rice cooking liquid, broth, and coconut aminos and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, until onion and mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes.

Whisk arrowroot powder and remaining 1/4 C water in a small bowl.  Stir arrowroot slurry into soup and return to a simmer.  Cook soup until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, and lemon zest.  Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.