Arroz de Pato (baked rice with shredded duck)

This is one of my favourite Portuguese dishes. It takes a little time to prepare because it takes time to shred the duck, but this can be done a day or two in advance. After that, it's really simple and easy to prepare for a large group of people, especially when you are not sure what time everyone will arrive. It was perfect for a late Saturday lunch for eight.

Ingredients (for eight people)

1 duck
2.5 cups of rice
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 bay leaves
olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup vegetable oil
1 chorizo sausage
salt
white pepper

1. Cut the duck into pieces, season them with salt and let them stand for 20 minutes.
2. Pat dry the duck with a paper towel, place it in a medium-sized pan (preferably a cast-iron casserole) with the vegetable oil; cover and cook in very low heat for around 1 hour and forty minutes.
   
3. Leave the duck in the pan until it cools to room temperature.
4. Skin, bone and shred the duck; keep just the shredded meat.
5. Save any congealed jelly left in the pan and discard the remaining vegetable oil.
   
   (steps 1 to 5 can be done a couple of days in advance; refrigerate the duck and the jelly)
   
   
6. Chop the onion and stir-fry it in olive oil in a large casserole.
   
7. Add the garlic whole, the bay leaves, salt and pepper.
8. Mix in the rice and keep stirring.
9. Add the wine and stir until it evaporates.
10. Add the shredded duck and the jelly.
11. Add 5 cups of water, give it a good mix and cover the pan.
12. Cook in low heat for around 20 minutes.
13. Transfer the rice to a baking dish and decorate it with slices of chorizo sausage.
    
    (steps 6 to 13 can be done before your guests arrive)
    
    
14. Bake for around 15 minutes, until the chorizo is cooked.
    

Serve with a green salad