The ceramic pot harkens back to rustic cooking in remote Portuguese villages like those in the Beira Baixa (central Portugal). Ceramic pots conserve and distribute heat more efficiently at a lower temperature. It’s also an excellent way to seal in moisture that keeps a tougher meat, like duck, tender. The cuisine in central Portugal is heavily based on gamey meats such as wild boar and squab, as well as elaborate recipes using locally-raised lamb, goat, duck and rabbit, such as this recipe for Duck Rice. There are also the hearty soups, ideal meals during the harsh winters, which have been perfected and marked with the “sugerelha” herb commonly used in this area.
Try this traditional Duck Rice recipe with a hearty, flavorful red from the Beira region, such as Quinta dos Termos. And if you’re keen to visit the region for a bespoke culinary tour of one of the most under-appreciated culinary destinations in Portugal, let us know!
