Peruvian Duck with Rice

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rosemary Zwick (again) for this one:

I asked my wife if she had seen this morning's paper. She said, "Yes, I
wrapped the garbage in it--just the classified section, though." I said,
"But... but... I hadn't seen it yet!" She replied, "Oh, you didn't miss
much. Just some egg shells, coffee grounds and a few orange peels."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This may be the closest thing there is to a national dish of Peru.
Similar to the chicken and rice (arroz con pollo) dishes found in many
parts of Latin America, this version gets its distinctive flavor not
only from the duck but from the spices and dark beer as well.

Peruvian Duck with Rice (Arroz con Pato)

1 duck (4 to 5 lbs, 1.8 to 2 Kg), cut into 6 pieces
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 fresh hot red or green peppers, finely chopped
6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups (1 L) canned or fresh chicken stock
2 cups (500 ml) long-grained rice
2 cups (500 ml) dark beer
1 cup (250 ml) cooked green peas

Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork. Heat the vegetable oil
in a large skillet over moderate heat and brown the duck pieces on all
sides for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and some of the fat
has rendered out. Transfer the pieces of duck to a large casserole.
Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet and saute the
onion, peppers, and garlic until the onion is golden but not brown.
Transfer the onion mixture to the casserole and add the cilantro, cumin,
salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Simmer covered for 45 minutes. Drain
off the stock and measure it. Add two cups of the stock to the
casserole, along with the rice and dark beer. Simmer covered for 15 to
20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and quite dry. Fold in the cooked peas and serve immediately.
 Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Sep 1 18:59:14 2009