Wild Rice and Ham Chowder

We love wild rice…it’s a Minnesota specialty that tastes great and goes well in many recipes.  I usually make Byerly’s Wild Rice Soup, but when I saw this recipe in the "Taste of Home Soups 2014” I wanted to try it.  It’s chock full of good stuff and easy to make too.

I made my wild rice the evening before, letting it cook through supper time.  I used some for this recipe and froze the extra I made.  I have added directions at the bottom of this post for cooking your wild rice.   This is a good way to use leftover Easter or holiday ham.                   

Wild Rice and Ham Chowder

     ½    Cup  Onion -- chopped

     ¼    Cup  Butter -- cubed

  2        Teaspoons  Garlic -- minced

  6        Tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose

     ½    Teaspoon  Salt

     ¼    Teaspoon  Pepper

  4        Cups  Chicken Broth

  1 ½    Cups  Potatoes -- cubed and peeled

     ½    Cup  Carrot -- chopped

  1        Each  Bay Leaf

     ½    Teaspoon  Dried Thyme

     ¼    Teaspoon  Ground Nutmeg

  3        Cups  Wild Rice -- cooked

  2 ½    Cups  Ham -- cubed

  2        Cups  Half and Half

  15 ½  Ounces  Whole Kernel Corn -- drained

             Minced Fresh Parsley

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, saute onion in  butter until tender.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended.  Gradually add broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.

Add the potatoes, carrot, bay leaf, thyme and nutmeg, return to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Stir in the rice, ham, cream and corn; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with parsley.

8 Servings

Per Serving: 495 Calories; 19g Fat (33.4% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 61g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 1163mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat.

              

                                Wild Rice

  7             Ounces  Wild Rice -- raw, 1 cup

  3               Cups  Water

     1/2    Tablespoon  Chicken Base

Bring water and chicken base or chicken broth to a boil, add rice, simmer 45-50 minutes, covered.  Uncover and fluff with table fork. Simmer five additional minutes. Drain any excess liquid.   Let cool before freezing.  Freezes for 2-3 months.