Sei que tem explorado os grandes clássicos da cozinha portuguesa, e o Arroz de Pato é, sem dúvida, um dos pratos mais emblemáticos e reconfortantes do nosso receituário. É uma daquelas refeições de domingo, que perfuma a casa e reúne a família à mesa, celebrando a arte de transformar ingredientes simples num prato rico e inesquecível.

Ingredientes (6 Pessoas)

  • 1 pato grande caseiro
  • 2 cebolas
  • 6 dentes de alho
  • 1 laranja
  • 1 cenoura grande
  • azeite
  • 1 folha de louro
  • 800 gr de arroz
  • sal
  • pimenta
  • noz-moscada
  • 1 ovo
  • 1 gema

Preparação

  1. Arranje o pato, corte-o em quatro e leve-o a cozer durante 2 horas em água temperada com sal, noz-moscada, pimenta, uma cebola, 4 dentes de alho, a laranja descascada e cortada em quartos e a folha de louro.
  2. Depois de cozido, retire-o da panela, deixe amornar, limpe-o de peles e ossos, desfie-o e reserve.
  3. Passe o caldo por um coador.
  4. Esmague a cebola, os alhos e a laranja até ficar em puré e reserve.
  5. Descasque a restante cebola e alhos e pique-os finamente.
  6. Coloque-os num tacho e junte azeite.
  7. Leve o tacho ao lume e deixe refogar um pouco.
  8. Depois adicione o arroz e deixe-o fritar no azeite durante 5 minutos, mexendo de vez em quando.
  9. Adicione o caldo de cozer o pato (até este tapar por completo o arroz) e o puré de cebola, alho e laranja.
  10. Retifique temperos, mexa, tape o tacho, reduza o lume para o mínimo e deixe cozer cerca de 20 minutos.
  11. Leve um pouco de água ao lume.
  12. Descasque a cenoura e corte-a ao meio.
  13. Quando a água estiver a ferver, coloque a cenoura e deixe-a cozer por cerca de 40 minutos.
  14. Retire-a, deixe-a arrefecer e corte-a em rodelas finas.
  15. Num pírex de forno, coloque metade do arroz no fundo.
  16. Por cima do arroz coloque o pato desfiado.
  17. Coloque a última camada de arroz.
  18. Pincele com o ovo misturado com a gema.
  19. Decore com a cenoura em rodelas.
  20. Leve ao forno a 200º C até ficar douradinho, cerca de 30 minutos.

From our Portuguese kitchen to yours, here is one of the most celebrated national dishes.

Portuguese Duck Rice (Arroz de Pato)

Arroz de Pato is far more than just rice with duck; it’s a masterpiece of Portuguese comfort food, a hearty and deeply flavourful baked rice dish that is a true national treasure. Revered as a homestyle classic, its secret lies in cooking the rice in the rich, aromatic broth created from slowly simmering the duck itself. The final dish, often layered with shredded duck and topped with slices of smoky chouriço before being baked to crispy perfection, is the epitome of rustic elegance.

This particular recipe has a wonderful technique of puréeing the broth’s aromatics (onion, garlic, and orange) and stirring them back into the rice, ensuring that no flavour is wasted and adding incredible depth and body to the final dish. While many traditional recipes include slices of chouriço sausage on top, this version keeps the focus purely on the duck, garnished with beautiful carrot rounds and finished with an egg wash for a gloriously golden crust.

For the most authentic result, using a good quality, fatty duck is key, as its fat will render into the broth and enrich the entire dish. While it takes some time to prepare, most of it is hands-off, and the result is a truly spectacular meal that is well worth the effort.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 1 large duck (about 2-2.5 kg)
  • 2 large onions
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 orange
  • 1 large carrot
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 800g of rice (parboiled for a crispier top, or Carolino/Arborio for a creamier result)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk

Method

  1. Prepare the duck, cutting it into quarters. Place it in a large pot and cover with water. Season with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add one of the onions, 4 cloves of garlic, the peeled and quartered orange, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the duck is very tender.
  2. Once cooked, remove the duck from the pot and let it cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Set the shredded duck aside.
  3. Strain the cooking broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Take the cooked onion, garlic, and orange from the sieve and blend them into a smooth purée. Set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the carrot. Peel it, cut it in half, and boil it in a small pot of water for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Once cooked, let it cool and slice it into thin rounds for garnish.
  5. Finely chop the remaining onion and 2 garlic cloves. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté them until softened.
  6. Add the rice and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, allowing it to toast lightly in the oil.
  7. Add enough of the reserved duck broth to completely cover the rice, and stir in the reserved purée of onion, garlic, and orange.
  8. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to the absolute minimum, cover the pot, and let the rice cook for about 20 minutes, or until it has absorbed the liquid.
  9. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6).
  10. In an ovenproof dish (a traditional clay *assadeira* is perfect), spread half of the cooked rice on the bottom. Arrange the shredded duck in an even layer on top, then cover with the remaining rice.
  11. In a small bowl, beat the whole egg with the extra egg yolk. Brush this egg wash over the top of the rice.
  12. Decorate with the sliced carrots.
  13. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown and crisp.