Comfort Soup
Is that a snowflake?
When friends recently sent me amazing photos of snow falling at Lake Tahoe, it triggered memories of fall in the Sierra and, of course, making homemade soup! There’s nothing like a comforting bowl of hot soup to welcome in my favorite season. This recipe combines both brown and white California rice, yummy vegetables, leftover pork tenderloin and hot broth.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 large carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup assorted mini peppers, chopped
½ pound cooked pork tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces
½ cup red wine
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1 cup medium-grain California brown rice
1 cup medium-grain California white rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions
In a large stockpot, heat the EVOO. Add all prepared vegetables and pork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the wine, bay leaf, rice, seasonings, stock and water, cover and bring to a slow boil. Continue cooking until the rice is soft. Salt and pepper soup to taste. Remove bay leaf and serve soup hot with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese.
Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.