Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Steps

1. Rinse the wild rice in a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 3 cups of water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are tender but still pleasantly chewy, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain off any excess water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue cooking until the mushrooms release their liquid and it cooks off, 5 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining mushrooms and the last tablespoon of butter.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the now-empty pot with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat, cooking for 1 minute to toast out the raw-flour taste. Pour in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and let it bubble until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the broth and bay leaves, then return the seared mushrooms (with any accumulated juices) and the drained wild rice to the pot. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Stir in the milk, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then discard the bay leaves. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves and parsley.