Arroz De Pato Recipe (Oven-Baked Duck Rice)

Arroz De Pato is a traditional Portuguese dish that combines duck confit with seasoned rice and chouriço sausage. I love cooking and wherever I go I’d always ask my local friends to cook with me. It can be a dish they remember from their childhood, a family recipe or just something easy to make, with few ingredients but with the local touch. This time in Porto I asked my dear friend Carolina to cook with me something her family would eat normally at home, perhaps with a group of friends. Arroz de Pato was her first choice.

Prep Time: 10’

Cook Time: 40’

Total Time: 50’

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

–       Duck Confit with Duck Fat (4 legs)

–       1 white or yellow onion peeled and chopped

–       ½ pound of cured Chouriço Sausage (or Spanish Chorizo), sliced

–       1 cup of Arroz Carolino (short-grain rice similar to the Italian Arborio, so it would work too)

–       salt and pepper to taste

–       3 cups of water or Duck Stock

THE PREP

1. Separate the duck meat from bones and get rid of extra fat. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look nice, the duck will be buried in rice anyway. Set aside for later.
2. Put a medium size pan over a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of duck fat, onion and cook it for few minutes until slightly soft stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the rice. Continue stirring for few more minutes so the grains are coated with the fat.
4. Add 2 cups of hot water or Duck Stock to the rice. Keep stirring until rice is cooked al dente for about 8-10 minutes.
5. Transfer mixture to an oven-proof casserole dish spread the rice into a flat layer and tap it with the back of a spoon. Add the Duck Confit and season with salt and pepper. Put 1 more layer of rice and scatter Chorizo on top. Season with salt and pepper again. Add one more cup of water or Duck Stock and transfer to the oven. Bake about 15-20 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Once ready, remove the dish from the oven, tent with foil, and let it stand 5 minutes.
6. Mix everything before serving.

Food & Wine Pairing – pair with some nice red from Douro valley.