Pato no Tucupi

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 duck breasts
• 100 g cress (paracress), Jambu
• 1 liter juice (Tucupi), pressed juice from bitter cassava
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic
• 1 bunch of herbs (Cheiro Verde), consisting of 1 shallot, chervil and coriander leaves
• 2 limes
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp, heaped cumin, ground
• 1 tsp, heaped powder (annatto, achiote)
• 3 pinch(s) black pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 liter chicken broth, made with stock cubes

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Duck in bitter cassava juice, North Brazilian style

We’ve been living in the Amazon for two years, and this is our favorite Pato no Tucupi recipe. Marinate the duck breasts in a saucepan with the juice of two limes for 20 minutes. Then add 1 chopped onion, a chopped garlic clove, the cumin, achiote, bay leaf, pepper, and cheiro verde, and let it simmer for at least another 20 minutes. Place the saucepan in the preheated oven and roast for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the jambu in salted water. Sauté the remaining onion and garlic with a little oil in a large pot, add the tucupi and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. When the duck breasts are cooked through, cut them into bite-sized pieces and add them to the tucupi in the large pot along with the cooking juices, and let them reduce slightly. Serve with rice and the jambu.