Arroz de Pato
A festive baked duck rice dish most often linked to Braga in the Minho region, with strong regional claims elsewhere too, that grew into a nationwide restaurant favorite through the 20th century. Rice is cooked in stock from a poached whole duck, combined with the shredded meat, then topped with sliced chouriço and baked uncovered until the top layer chars and crisps — that final oven crackle is the dish's signature, not a simple stovetop finish.
Meat
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck (about 2 kg), or 4 duck legs
- 400g rice
- 200g chouriço, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, zested, plus slices to garnish
- Olive oil, salt, pepper
- Fresh parsley
Steps
- Simmer the duck with onion, carrot, bay leaf, and salted water for 1–1.5 hours until tender; reserve the stock and shred the meat.
- Sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, add the rice, and toast briefly.
- Add the reserved duck stock, bring to a boil, then simmer covered 10–12 minutes until the rice is just cooked.
- Stir in the shredded duck meat and lemon zest, then transfer to a baking dish.
- Top with sliced chouriço and lemon slices.
- Bake uncovered at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and slightly charred at the edges.
- Garnish with parsley before serving.