This recipe uses brown rice instead of the traditional bread to boost the health factor. Brown rice is a natural whole grain that is more nutritious than white rice (which is simply brown rice with the bran and germ removed). Left intact, it maintains the thiamine (vitamin B1), niacin (vitamin B3), magnesium, and iron as well as its rice bran oils which may lower LDL cholesterol.
For a more traditional version: Lightly butter a piece of your favourite bread and sprinkle sea salt, pepper and a little oregano. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 275 degrees or until the bread is dry. Use this instead of the rice and place in the soup before adding the cheese.
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 large onions (about 2-3 inches in diameter)
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp sucanat or organic sugar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups red wine (Merlot works well)
3-4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried savory or thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Topping
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella or raw milk old cheddar
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice*
Preparation
Peel the onions and cut in half. Cut into thin slices and pull apart.
Melt butter in medium size saucepan over medium heat and add onions. Saute until soft and slightly transparent, stirring frequently.
Add the sucanat and allow it to melt and mix with the onions for about a minute, while continuing to stir. Add the wine, garlic and herbs and bring to a boil. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil again. Add sea salt and pepper and lower to simmer. Cover and simmer about for 45 minutes.
Add celery and simmer for another 15 minutes until celery softens. It is best not to add all the sea salt and pepper at once and save some until the end to get the right flavour balance.
Add the cooked rice at the end and serve. Please note that brown rice will continue to absorb moisture, so if the soup is not being consumed right away, only add rice to the soup at the time of serving.
Add cheese after the rice while soup is hot so it melts.
Preparing Brown Rice
* To cook brown rice: Rinse 1/2 to 3/4 cup dried brown rice and add to a pot with at least of 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cover. Let cook for about 35-40 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
Remove from the heat and rinse to remove the starch or it will be sticky. Brown rice can be cooked exactly to your liking. If it is not soft enough, add more water and cook longer.
