Mushrooms, you know that slightly earthy tasting fungus we are all so fond of, can make the best soup. Mushrooms, when cooked, release a natural creaminess and seem to soak up all the flavors from their surroundings. Preparing a soup with mushrooms and wild rice is a natural pairing because they both are fall-like foods that capture the essence of the season ahead.
As you know by now, I am a fan of the electric pressure cooker, even more so than a slow-cooker, why? Well, for a few reasons that I can’t stress enough – for starters, it cuts down on cooking time drastically, and even if you are an avid cook like me, every meal doesn’t need to be a production. Secondly, it doesn’t overcook your food like a slow-cooker does. Meat comes out tender and juicy, while legumes, rice, eggs and starchy vegetables are amazingly toothsome and still in tact. There are foods I wouldn’t cook in an Instant Pot, like delicate vegetables mixed with hardier foods, or things you want to make crispy, like the skin of your chicken. However, if you practice just a bit – you can prepare many delightful meals.
Soups are a recipe that comes out amazingly well in such a vessel. Wild Rice, while taking nearly 30 minutes to prepare on the stove top, is done in a soup like this in 15 minutes. So, for people who says they don’t have time to cook – this pots-for-you. No, I’m not a sponsor, I just want to encourage you to make most of your own meals – it’s better for you, and let’s face it – they taste much better too.
Ingredients
1 white onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound baby Bella or Crimini mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup wild rice, rinsed
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
olive oil
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
- Press Saute and add 2 teaspoons oil to pot. Add onions and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir to combine. Add mushrooms, rice, broth, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, bay leaf and chili flakes. Stir to combine soup mixture. Cancel Saute.
- Place lid on top and place nozzle in Sealing position. Press Soup or Manual and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Let soup release steam naturally.
- Remove lid and bay leaf. Using a immersion blender puree soup for 1 minute, leaving most of it chunky (If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove 1 cup of soup and puree until smooth in a regular blender and add back into pot).
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve while hot. Enjoy!
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