Christmas Memories-Bud's Pheasant Wild Rice Cream Soup

One of my Christmas Memories was cooking my soup specialty for Christmas Day.  I have been making this soup for our Christmas for a number of years and even though I did not go hunting the last few years, someone always has been able to bring me a pheasant.  The last two years a friend in our Lincoln SCORE Chapter has brought me birds from South Dakota, and so I have been able to continue this tradition.  This years bird was a big one and my batch below was enough to feed 14 for Christmas with some left over for our evening leftover snacks (supper, as they used to say).  I did change my recipe this year slightly by using a full quart of Half & Half, which made it nice and rice - the spoon just about stood up it was so nice and thick. The soup was yummy if I say so myself.  Also, the dry mix this year consisted of one Potato Soup mix and one Wild Rice Cream Soup mix - both were dry soup packages.

If anyone reading this blog makes the soup from this recipe - please let me know how it came out for you.

Bud’s Pheasant Wild Rice Cream Soup

5 Cups    Cooked Wild Rice

6 TblSp   Butter

4 TblSp   Chopped Onions

1 Cup     Chopped Celery

4 TblSp   Minced Green Pepper

2 Cans    Mushrooms (small cans)

2 Cups    Half & Half

1 Pkg     Shredded Cheese

2 Cans    Potato Soup (large cans) or – Dry Potato Soup Pkgs

1 Bird    Pheasant

Step 1 – Prepare Pheasant

Wash Pheasant to insure the bird is ready for cooking.  Put the Pheasant in a large pot and cover completely with Chicken Broth.  Boil the bird until the meat will come off of the bones completely.  Strip the meat off of the bones and set aside.  Strain the Chicken Broth and hold for use in the soup.

Step 2 – Prepare the Wild Rice

Wash wild rice by running water through the rice in a wire strainer until the water runs clear. Cover one cup of wild rice with 2 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and barely simmer for 20-25 minutes.  When rice is tender, but not mushy, pour into a wire strainer and place back in the kettle with one inch of water.  Cover and steam for 5-10 minutes.

Step 3 – Melt butter in pan and sauté onion, celery, green               

Pepper and place in large pot.  Pour Potato Soup in pot, adding the strained chicken broth – the cooked wild rice, and the Pheasant meat that has been set aside.  Simmer this mixture for 30 minutes after bringing it to a slight boil.  Have the cheese available for individuals to add as they wish.