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.  

2 comments:

  1. Sounds yummy! I used to make a Japanese Soup with ham, but hubby doesn't really care for it. Maybe I'll try this one. I'm not much of a ham person anymore, so usually our leftovers is pkg'd for him to take for his lunch for sandwiches. This sounds good with the wild rice.

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