Portuguese Rice with Duck "Arroz de Pato"

Hello Friends!

This week I bring you a recipe from Portuguese gastronomy. A very traditional dish that I have tasted on my latest vacation, and it conquered my palate. But before I start cooking, I would like to tell you a little more about the origin of this excellent rice dish.

Where "Arroz de Pato" come from?

The recipe is typical of the Alentejo region, which means "beyond the Tajo", a river that originates in Spain, crosses Portugal and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon, the country's capital. This region is located in the southern half of Portugal, where rice fields abound.

Rice production in Portugal is a Muslim heritage. However, its cultivation was forbidden due to the risk of malaria. During the 19th century, planting gradually resumed, or at least officially, because it seems that rice never disappeared and became a source of enrichment for Portuguese agriculture.

Click and discover the Benefits of eating rice.

Initially, this fantastic recipe was made from wild ducks. Possibly it arose as an alternative to reuse useless food. But it ends up becoming very famous, especially for the texture and flavor of the duck meat.

Well, here is my humble version of this tasty rice. I hope you like it and try to make it at home. You will see what fantastic flavor this rice has.

Ingredients 4 Tapas

1. Duck Magret 400 g
2. Chorizo 1
3. Bacon 100 g
4. Rice 400 g
5. Leek 1/2
6. Onion 1/2
7. Green bell pepper 1/2

1. Carrot 2
2. Tomato 1
3. Two cloves Garlic
4. Bay leaf 1
5. Salt
6. Pepper 1/2 tsp
7. Pimentón (Paprika) 1 tsp
8. Powdered cloves 1/2 tsp
9. Red wine 100 ml
10. Chicken stock 800 ml
11. Parsley
    

Preparation

As always, I start by preparing the vegetables.

1. Cut all the vegetables into cubes of about 1 cm, except the garlic that we will do in brunoise. Preserve them to use later.

On the other hand, I prepared the duck breast.

1. Remove the fat and reserve a small part to cook it later.
2. Cut the duck breast into three parts. Two parts are cut into cubes, and one part reserve without cutting for cooking differently.

Now we have all the ingredients to start cooking.

1. Cover the base of a medium-size pot with olive oil, and add the reserved duck fat cubes.
2. Set the pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the chopped vegetables except for the tomato. Season and cook them over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. When the vegetables take color, add the bacon and the diced duck. Cook them for another 10 minutes approx.

1. Season it and put the paprika, the clove powder and the tomato. Stir well and pour the red wine in.
2. When the alcohol evaporates, after a couple of minutes of boiling, add the rice. Mix everything, add the bay leaf and the chicken stock.
3. Cook everything together for 15 minutes since the rice is placed.

1. Once this time has elapsed, serve the rice in a clay dish.
2. Place two chorizo slices on the top that I have previously blanched and put them into the oven at 200 degrees for 5 minutes.

1. During this time, cook the part of the duck that we had reserved.
2. Season the meat, and in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil, pan-fry it to the point you like.

1. When the rice is ready, put a couple of slices of duck on top and finish decorating it with parsley.

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Have a Tasty Day!