Name: Arroz con pato
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 130 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 4 bone-in duck legs, about 280 g each, chilled; 320 g dry long-grain white rice, washed and drained; 140 g fresh coriander leaves, washed; 130 g red onion, finely diced; 15 g garlic, minced; 40 g ají amarillo paste; 100 g zapallo loche squash, finely grated; 110 g peas, fresh or frozen; 80 g red sweet pepper, thin strips; 200 ml chicha de jora, food-grade, fermented; 850 ml unsalted poultry stock; 150 ml water, hot, only if required to top up green rice cooking liquid; 35 ml neutral vegetable oil; 6 g fine salt; 2 g ground cumin; 1 g black pepper

Arroz con pato — Lambayeque duck and green rice

Yield 4 plates

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 90 minutes

Passive 10 minutes

Total 130 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Arroz con pato — Lambayeque duck and green rice

Arroz con pato is especially associated with Lambayeque and the northern Peruvian coast. Duck brings a deeper, richer taste than chicken, while a coriander-green rice base gives the plate a recognisable colour and fragrant finish.

Northern preparations may use chicha de jora, dark beer, ají amarillo and zapallo loche. This recipe favours measured chicha de jora and a little grated loche; that choice keeps the regional ingredients visible without presenting any one household method as universal.

Cook the duck sufficiently before introducing the rice. Once rice goes in, vigorous stirring and high heat damage the grains. The covered final simmer lets the grains absorb the braising liquid, and a short standing period is important for an even texture.

Ingredients

4 bone-in duck legs, about 280 g each, chilled
320 g dry long-grain white rice, washed and drained
140 g fresh coriander leaves, washed
130 g red onion, finely diced
15 g garlic, minced
40 g ají amarillo paste
100 g zapallo loche squash, finely grated
110 g peas, fresh or frozen
80 g red sweet pepper, thin strips
200 ml chicha de jora, food-grade, fermented
850 ml unsalted poultry stock
150 ml water, hot, only if required to top up green rice cooking liquid
35 ml neutral vegetable oil
6 g fine salt
2 g ground cumin
1 g black pepper

Method

Brown the duck legs.Pat the four duck legs dry. Heat 35 ml oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, season with 6 g salt, cumin and pepper, and sear skin-side down for 6 minutes and on the other side for 4 minutes; remove. Skin renders some fat and develops brown patches; the interior is still raw.
Sweat the onions and chilli.In the same pot over medium heat, cook 130 g onion for 5 minutes, garlic for 2 minutes, ají amarillo and 100 g loche for another 5 minutes. The squash melts into the onion and the chilli paste becomes aromatic.
Blend coriander and braise duck.Blend all coriander leaves with 250 ml of the measured stock. Add the coriander purée, remaining 600 ml stock and 200 ml chicha to the pot, return the legs, cover and simmer for 42 minutes. The meat loosens near the joint but is still intact; the duck reaches 74 °C deep in its thickest portion.
Separate meat and measure the rice liquid.Move the duck to a covered dish. Measure 700 ml of the green braising liquid for the rice, reserving any surplus sauce outside the pot; only if short, top up by up to 150 ml using the listed hot water. Bring exactly 700 ml of the measured cooking liquid to a simmer in the pot. Exactly 700 ml of gently bubbling green cooking liquid is available for the rice.
Cook the rice and vegetables.Add the 320 g rice, 110 g peas and 80 g pepper to the measured liquid. Cover tightly and simmer over the lowest heat for 20 minutes; do not stir. The rice has absorbed nearly all liquid and the grains are tender, with no hard centres.
Return duck, heat and rest.Set the duck legs on top of the rice, cover and warm over low heat for 3 minutes. Turn off and rest covered for 10 minutes before serving. The duck is steaming hot and the rice fluffs without turning mushy.

Practical

Serving, storage and substitutions

Before the rice enters the pan, measuring the liquid is more reliable than guessing by its depth over the grains. The duck releases fat and water during braising, so the amount remaining is never perfectly predictable. Chicha de jora adds fermented corn acidity. This recipe does not claim cooking removes all alcohol. If chicha is unavailable, use a different named preparation instead of silently replacing a characterising ingredient. Cool and refrigerate leftovers at 4 °C or below within two hours; portion rice into a shallow box and chill it ideally within one hour, then use within 24 hours. Reheat once to 74 °C. The duck can be stored separately for better control of reheating.

Control points

Duck is tender but rice is glueyToo much liquid or stirring broke the grains. Measure 700 ml cooking liquid after braising and avoid stirring while covered.
Rice tastes dilutedHerbs were not blended finely or the braise was too watery. Build the aderezo thoroughly and keep the final rice liquid at the measured amount.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 of 4 plates (one duck leg and green rice)
Calories830 kcal
Carbohydrates73 g
Protein39 g
Fat43 g
Fibre5 g
Sodium770 mg

Allergens and food safety

No major regulated allergens inherent in listed components; chicha de jora may contain alcohol and vendor-specific additives. Duck is poultry; reach 74 °C in the thickest section away from bone. Cool cooked rice quickly and reheat once to 74 °C; chicha de jora may contain alcohol.

Closing

Duck legs finish tender above a cohesive but separate-grained green rice scented with chicha and coriander. Braise the poultry first, then measure the green cooking liquid before adding dry rice.

Arroz con pato — Lambayeque duck and green rice

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Serving, storage and substitutions

Control points

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Closing

Peruvian National Dishes

Carapulcra

Parihuela

Jalea mixta