Wild Rice Soup

2 tbsp minced onion
6 tbsp butter
½ cup flour
2½ cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
½ cup of finely shredded carrots
3 tbsp of slivered almonds
½ tsp salt
1 cup half & half
2 tbsp dry sherry

In large saucepan, sauté onion in butter. Add flour stirring until bubbly; gradually stir in broth. Stir in wild rice, chicken, carrots, almonds and salt; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in half and half and sherry; heat through.

6 servings.

Although he wanted to farm for as long as he can remember, Travis Duresky of Duresky Wild Rice in Wakish, MN, did not grow up on a farm like many of his peers. Instead, as a boy, he lived in Elk River, MN, until he was 11 years old. It wasn't until Travis’ parents moved to Waskish that he was able to start helping around the farm of his grandfather, Velmer Halama, who had been in the rice industry since 1966.

In the early 2000s, Travis’ role went from just “helping out” around the farm, to actually farming with his grandfather. He has now been farming with him for about 15 years. In 2011, Travis rented 185 acres of land and started growing rice on his own. Travis now farms around 1,600 acres and has also grown soybeans, wheat, oats, barley, and peas in addition to wild rice.

In addition to his full time job of farming, Travis has also worked off the farm including installing commercial flooring with his dad, grading roads for Waskish Township, and logging. Travis also studied Precision Agriculture and Ag Business at the University of Minnesota-Crookston from 2011-2013.

Recipe compliments of the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council