Arroz Caldo ala Risotto

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This recipe was inspired by a soup that is commonly made back home when you are sick or when the weather turns cold or rainy or when a soup is the only way to fill the hunger pangs in your tummy. The soup Arroz Caldo (rice soup) is very simple to make but I wanted something a bit different in terms of texture while retaining the flavor so I decided to turn what was a soup into a risotto dish. The base for the soup is chicken broth with chicken pieces and rice is added to give body to the soup so transitioning from soup to risotto is not really a stretch. The soup is usually served with toasted garlic and green onion slices and I'm sure it will work in a risotto dish as well. 

Arroz Caldo ala Risotto

2 lb chicken
3 cups Arborio rice
1 onion diced
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
4 stalks green onions, finely diced
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
8 tbsp olive oil 
sesame oil

1. In a big pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil at medium heat and saute half the 
    onions and a teaspoon of minced garlic until softened. Season with salt 
    and pepper. Add the bay leaves and saute for another minute. 

2. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides. Season with salt and 
    pepper. 

3. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes and 
    check the broth for flavor. 

4. To make the risotto, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and saute the onions in 
    a deep skillet until softened. Season with salt and pepper. 

5. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil. At this point, 
    start adding the broth in small batches until the rice is al dente as 
    described in the risotto posting. Add the turmeric powder and mix well.

6. To serve, toast the remaining garlic until golden brown at low heat in a 
    pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Drain on paper towels when browned. 
    Debone and skin the chicken meat and slice into wedges. Arrange the 
    chicken pieces on top of the risotto and garnish with the green onion 
    and toasted garlic. Drizzle sesame oil on the toppings as a final touch. 
    Serve warm.