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1
Brown the duck
15 minutes
Medium-high heat (200°C / 400°F)
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the duck legs skin-side down for about 7 minutes without moving them, then turn and brown the other side for 5 minutes. Lift them out onto a plate — they do not need to be cooked through yet.
Do not crowd the pot: brown in two batches if needed, or the duck steams instead of browning.
Done when: The duck is deep golden on both sides and the pot has browned bits on the bottom.
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2
Cook the aderezo
8 minutes
Medium heat (180°C / 350°F)
In the same pot, soften the diced onion for 4 minutes, then add the garlic, aji amarillo paste and cumin and cook for 2 minutes more, scraping up the browned bits. Pour in the beer and let it bubble for 1 minute.
The aji amarillo needs a minute in the hot oil to bloom — raw paste tastes sharp and one-note.
Done when: The base is fragrant, golden-orange, and the browned bits have lifted off the bottom.
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3
Blend in the green sauce
5 minutes
Medium heat (180°C / 350°F)
Stir the blended cilantro and spinach into the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until it turns a deeper, darker green and smells grassy rather than raw.
Cooking the cilantro puree first keeps the rice green instead of letting it fade to grey in the pot.
Done when: The sauce is dark green, thick and fragrant.
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4
Braise the duck
50 minutes
Low heat (120°C / 250°F)
Return the duck legs to the pot with the remaining broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 50 minutes until the duck is tender and the thickest part reaches at least 74°C (165°F).
Keep the simmer gentle — a hard boil toughens the duck and clouds the sauce.
Done when: The duck is tender and the meat gives easily when prodded with a fork.
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5
Add the rice and vegetables
25 minutes
Medium-low heat (150°C / 300°F)
Lift the duck out onto a plate and keep warm. Stir the rice, diced pepper and carrot into the pot, add hot water if needed so the liquid sits just above the rice, and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes without stirring. Scatter in the peas, cover, and cook 10 minutes more until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Do not stir the rice once it is in — stirring makes it gummy. Let it steam undisturbed.
Done when: The rice is tender, loose and evenly green, with no liquid left in the pot.
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6
Rest and serve with salsa
10 minutes
Resting at room temperature (21°C / 70°F)
Rest the pot off the heat for 10 minutes with the lid on. Meanwhile toss the sliced salsa onion with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Fluff the rice, lay a duck leg on each mound of rice, and serve with the salsa criolla on the side.
Resting lets the rice finish steaming and the grains separate cleanly.
Done when: The rice is fluffy and green, the duck is tender, and the salsa is bright and sharp.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve generous mounds of the green rice with a duck leg on top of each portion, a spoonful of salsa criolla on the side, and lime wedges at the table — the sharp onion-lime relish is what makes the rich duck and rice sing.
Peru
35m
