¾ c raw wild rice ● ½ cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
½ c chopped onion
⅓ cup flour
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 Cup(s) chicken broth
2 Cup(s) half and half
¼ Teaspoon(s) rosemary
⅛ Teaspoon(s) dill
⅛ Teaspoon(s) fennel seeds
Salt
Fresh Ground Black pepper
Boil the water to cook the rice in a large pan or pot. Once the water is boiling, add 2 teaspoons salt, sprinkle in the raw wild rice and stir. As you boil the rice, you will see it transform from hard to soft. Boil the wild rice for one hour and drain in a colander. Set aside. Over medium high heat, melt ½ cup of butter in a large pot, stirring to make sure the butter doesn't burn. Then add the chopped celery, carrots, and onion. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly with the butter and cook until onions are translucent, and the vegetables are soft, about 8 − 10 minutes. Next sprinkle in ⅓ cup flour, stirring constantly. Once all of the flour has been incorporated into the butter, fry the flour in the butter for 2 minutes. This prevents the finished soup from having a floury taste and completes the roux. Stir in the cut up chicken pieces which have been seasoned with salt and crushed black pepper. Allow the chicken to cook through, stirring often. Add the 5 cups of chicken broth and stir to incorporate the broth and the flour/butter roux. Simmer the broth for about five minutes, stirring often. Turn the heat down to low and slowly add the 2 cups of half-and-half, stirring constantly. Then add the cooked wild rice, stir and incorporate. Add the spices, rosemary, dill, and fennel seeds. Simmer the soup for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. DO NOT BOIL as it will cause the cream sauce to break. Once the soup has thickened, season with salt and pepper to taste.