Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

I recently picked up the book "What we eat, when we eat alone", by Deborah Madison. Before that I read "Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant". I have spent most of my life essentially, living alone. I was an only child in a single parent home. I was also painfully shy through most of my childhood, something anyone who knows me now will tell you I have gotten over! My adulthood has had a few stints with roommates and significant others, but when given a choice I must admit that I always choose to be alone. I am good at it, for the most part I enjoy quiet, solitary activities such as knitting, reading, painting, surfing the internet, etc... 

For the last year and a half I have found myself with very little alone time, an adjustment that is not always easy. The one thing I find I miss the most is the freedom to eat whatever I want. I miss the broccoli for dinner nights, although David has never complained about anything I have put on the table (well there was this, and that horrible bean thing) I think a broccoli dinner might add some grumbling to our dinner table. So, on those night when David has a late night meeting or goes out of town for a few days I always find myself running meal plans through my head. Although David thinks the dog and I spend our evenings eating bon bons, and cheese wrapped in bacon, I actually find myself looking for the more simple options. I find when I know I will be alone for a few day, a nice pot of rich, hearty soup really hits the spot. I make enough to eat it every day and save myself some work and clean-up. Then I have a little more time for reading, "What we eat, when we eat alone".

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
adapted from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup wild rice

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp salt
4 oz. bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
8 oz. button mushrooms, thinly slices

1 leek, halved, rinsed, and white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Put wild rice, and broth in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. 

In a large pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until well done, but not black. Add button mushrooms and leek, Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms give off their liquid, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle vegetables and bacon with flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour starts to stick to the bottom of the pot (scrape it up as much as possible while stirring). Add wine, cooked rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook 15 minutes.

Stir in cream and cook until hot, about 1 minute. Divide soup among 8 bowls and serve hot, with a sprinkle of parsley and black pepper on each serving.