Sopas De Patos Com Repolho
"Duck Soup With Cabbage"
From the treasured pages of Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha
Written by Lucas Rigaud
Sopas De Patos Com Repolho
"Enteze-se hum pato, lardee-se com toucinho grosso refogue-se em huma caçarola com toucinho derretido, hum bocado de presunto, e dois arrateis de carne de vacca; estando refogado, deitem-lhe hum pouco de caldo, e huma gota de agua quente; tempere-se de sal, huma cebola cravejada, huma cabeça de alhos, e deixe-se ferver pouco e pouco; estando meio cozido*, entezem em agua fervendo hum repolho, esprema-se, ate-se com hum barbante, e acabem de cozer tudo junto; estando tudo cozido, passem o caldo por hum peneiro; deitem-lhe depois humas côdeas de paõ e huma pouca de substancia, e ponha-se a ferver hum pouco; depois tirem-lhe a gordura, guarneça-se com o repolho, e o pato no meio, e sirva-se."
English Translation
"Take a duck, lard it with thick bacon, and brown it in a casserole with melted bacon, a piece of ham, and two pounds of beef; once browned, add a little broth and a splash of hot water; season with salt, an onion studded with cloves, a head of garlic, and let it simmer slowly; when it is half cooked, blanch a cabbage in boiling water, squeeze it, tie it with string, and finish cooking everything together; once everything is cooked, strain the broth through a sieve; then add some pieces of bread and a bit of concentrate, and let it boil a little; then remove the fat, arrange with the cabbage, the duck in the middle, and serve."
Note on the Original Text
The original Portuguese is written in 18th-century orthography—'hum' is 'um' (one), 'paõ' is 'pão' (bread), and 'enteze-se' equates to 'prepare' or 'dress' (clean and pluck). Quantities like 'arrateis' (pounds) correspond to roughly 459 g each, so 'dois arrateis' is about 900 g. Recipes of this era assumed a high level of cook's intuition—detailed timings, temperatures, and even exact measures were rare. Instead, process and order were everything, and ingredients reflected what was at hand or in the pantry. This recipe instructs by technique and sequence, leaving room for the cook's improvisation and experience to shine.
Title
Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha (1785)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Lucas Rigaud
Era
1785
Publisher
L. da Silva Godinho
Background
A sumptuous journey through 18th-century Portuguese cuisine, 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha' invites readers to master the refined and innovative cookery of its time. Delight in a treasury of recipes and culinary secrets that celebrate the flavors and craftsmanship of Lisbon's gastronomic past.
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Internet Archive
This recipe hails from 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha', published in Lisbon in 1785 by Lucas Rigaud. The book serves as a window into the late 18th-century Portuguese culinary landscape, where the art of French-influenced cookery merged with local flavors and ingredients. During this period, elaborate meat and poultry dishes formed the centerpiece of well-to-do tables. The combination of duck, ham, beef, and cabbage demonstrates the period's penchant for layering flavors, textural richness, and the use of both fresh and preserved meats. Recipes like this reflect festive or Sunday fare, highlighting the abundance of the Portuguese countryside and connections to broader European traditions.
Historically, such a recipe would have been prepared with a heavy copper or iron caçarola (casserole/dutch oven), often set over an open hearth or in a brick oven. Long-handled spoons, skimmers, and small kitchen knives would have helped with both prep and serving. For straining the broth, a fine cloth or horsehair sieve (peneiro) would have been used, and simple hemp or cotton kitchen twine for binding the cabbage. Rustic bread would have been sliced with a serrated knife or torn by hand.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck (about 4 1/2 lbs)
- 7 oz thick-cut bacon or fatty pork
- 3 1/2 oz cured ham (such as presunto or Parma ham)
- 2 lbs beef (preferably stewing cuts)
- 1 onion, whole, studded with 3-4 cloves
- 1 whole head of garlic, halved
- 1 medium green cabbage (about 1 1/3 lbs)
- 1 cup strong beef or poultry broth
- Water as needed
- Salt to taste
- Several slices rustic bread (about 3 1/2 oz)
- Beef extract or 1 bouillon cube (optional, for substance)
- Kitchen string
Instructions
- Begin by removing the feathers and cleaning one whole duck (about 4 1/2 lbs).
- Lard the duck by inserting thick strips of fatty bacon (about 3 1/2 oz) into its flesh.
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt 3 1/2 oz of additional bacon or pork fat and brown the larded duck.
- Add a chunk of cured ham (about 3 1/2 oz) and 2 lbs of beef, cut into large pieces.
- Sauté everything together until lightly browned.
- Pour in a ladleful of rich broth (about 1 cup) and a splash of hot water, just enough to partially cover the meats.
- Season with salt, a whole onion studded with a few cloves, and a whole head of garlic, cut in half crosswise.
- Allow to simmer gently over low heat.
- While the duck is half cooked, blanch a whole medium cabbage (about 1 1/3 lbs) in boiling water.
- Squeeze the cabbage to dry, tie it with kitchen string to keep its shape, and add it to the pot.
- Simmer everything together until all the meats and the cabbage are fully cooked and tender.
- Strain the cooking broth, discarding any solids.
- Return the clear broth to the pot, add several slices of rustic bread and a little additional beef extract or concentrated broth for substance.
- Simmer briefly.
- Skim any excess fat from the surface.
- To serve, arrange the cabbage and duck on a platter, pour the enriched bread soup around, with the duck in the center.
Estimated Calories
700 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will spend about 30 minutes getting everything ready and around 2 hours simmering the dish. Each serving has about 700 calories. This recipe makes 6 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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