comfort food: wild rice & mushroom soup

Here is a second simple, tasty soup for this grey week in January.  I always forget about wild rice, then when I get around to using it in a recipe I vow to use it more often.  The rich taste and texture of the rice is equally at home in a warm, satisfying soup or a fresh, crunchy salad. 

Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

1/2 c uncooked wild rice
1 1/2 c water (more as needed)
-bring rice and water to a boil, then simmer until rice is just tender-about 1 hour
-set aside

1 T olive oil
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
3/4 c celery, thinly sliced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 T butter
1 c white or baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
16 oz vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

-saute onion, celery and carrots in olive oil for 10 minutes
-add butter, then mushrooms (I like to add a little butter now, because I like what butter and mushrooms do together)
-saute an additional 5 minutes
-add 12 oz of broth, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste
-bring to a boil
-reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender and liquid is reduced
-add remaining broth and cooked wild rice
-simmer an additional 20 minutes
-serve with grated parmesan, green salad and warm crusty bread-oh yeah.

I have been meaning to add a note about ingredient choices in my recipes for Pies and Aprons.
Due to a poultry allergy (weird, I know) in our household, I cannot use chicken broth at home.
But, by all means, barring any similar allergies or vegetarianism in your household, feel free to substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth in any of my recipes.  This also explains the absence of any poultry based recipes in this blog........and, yes, eggs are fine (everyone asks).