Pássarito’s bacalhau

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes + desalination; Yield: 4 servings 

Salt cod, preferably Norwegian; desalinate 24-hours; drain	600 grams
Wine, dry white	250 milliliters
Milk, whole	250 milliliters
Bay leaf	1
Piquillo peppers, roasted	3
Olive oil	200 milliliters + 100 milliliters +
Garlic; half minced	2 cloves + 2 cloves
Paprika	Pinch
Cayenne	Pinch
Cilantro; roughly chopped	3 or 4 sprigs
Onion; thinly sliced	1 medium
Eggs; lightly beaten	4
Green onions; thinly sliced
Lemon	1

1. Combine the wine, milk, and bay leaf in a large saucepan half-filled with boiling water; plunge in the cod. 
2. After the liquid returns to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat; drain and set aside. 
3. Combine the peppers, 200ml-oil, two-cloves garlic, paprika, and cayenne; blend until smooth, adding more oil, if necessary, to form a smooth sauce; set aside. 
4. Flake the cod, removing and discarding the skin and bones. 
5. Combine the cod in a medium bowl with 100ml-oil and cilantro. 
6. In a frying pan with a little oil, sweat the onion and remaining minced garlic. 
7. Add the flaked cod, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the eggs; turn off the heat: the eggs should remain fairly runny. 
8. Arrange the cod and eggs on a plate, the pour the pepper sauce on top, and garnish with green onions and a squeeze of lemon. 
9. Serve with additional lemon wedges and a green salad. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Portugal Recipes & Ingredients by Anaïs Bourny Delon.

Poulet tchoupitoulas

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6

Butter, unsalted	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; julienned	3 cups
Bell pepper, red; chopped	½ cup
Salt	2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon
Cayenne	¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon + ½ tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon +
Andouille sausage	½ pound
Garlic; chopped	1 tablespoon
Sweet corn; kernels removed	1 ear
Eggs	5 large
Heavy cream	2 cups
Tabasco	¼ teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce	1 teaspoon
Crusty bread; cubed	4 cups
Parmigiano-Reggiano; grated	½ cup
Paprika	3 ¾ teaspoons
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	½ tablespoon
Oregano, dried	½ tablespoon
Thyme, dried	½ tablespoon
Vegetable oil	½ cup +
Chicken thighs	6 pounds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a 2-quart glass rectangular baking dish with 1-tablespoon butter. 
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 2-tablespoons butter, then add the onions, bell pepper, 1-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon cayenne. 
3. Season generously with pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft and start to brown, about 6 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage, and continue to cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add the garlic and corn, and cook for 1 minute; remove from heat and set aside. 
6. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds. 
7. Add the cream, 1-teaspoon salt, ⅛-teaspoon cayenne, Tabasco, and Worcestershire; whisk until fully incorporated. 
8. Stir in the sautéed sausage mixture, and then add the bread cubes; mix well. 
9. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake until golden brown and set, about 55 minutes. 
11. In a small bowl, combine paprika, 1-tablespoon salt, garlic powder, ½-tablespoon pepper, onion powder, ½-tablespoon cayenne, oregano, and thyme with the oil; mix well. 
12. Smear the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. 
13. Heat a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. 
14. When hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. 
15. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down, and sear until a deep golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. 
16. Turn the chicken, and place in the oven, roasting until the juices run clear, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
17. Remove from the oven, and rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe featured in The Last Holiday.

Shrimp & crabmeat étouffée with grits

Active: 1 hour; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 8 servings 

Chicken stock or water	12 cups
Grits, uncooked	2 cups
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoons
Oil, vegetable or olive	¼ cup
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Onion, white; chopped	2 cups
Celery; finely chopped	1 cup
Bell pepper, red; finely chopped	1 cup
Garlic, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Clam juice, fish  or chicken stock	3 cups
Dry sherry	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	¼ cup
Sage, dried; rubbed	2 tablespoons
Thyme; finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Shrimp, raw, jumbo; peeled, butterflied, tail on	1 ½ pounds
Crabmeat, lump jumbo; drained, picked clean	1 ½ pounds

1. Stir together the stock, grits, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Combine the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook until the butter is melted. 
4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the flour, and stir briskly. 
6. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes brown, being careful not to burn it, 20 to 25 minutes. 
7. Stir in the 3-cups juice/stock, sherry, Worcestershire, sage, thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg. 
8. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. 
9. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper; reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, until creamy and thick, about 15 minutes. 
10. Add the shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. 
11. Reduce the heat to medium-low. 
12. Gently fold in the crabmeat, and cook, undisturbed, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. 
13. Remove from heat; season to taste. 
14. Plate the grits, and then properly smother them with the gravy. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Shoyu ramen

Active: 1 hour 15 minutes; Total: 6 hours 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Broth, chicken, low-sodium	8 cups
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried	16
Kombu	30 grams
Bonito flakes	20 grams
Mirin	1 ¼ cups
Soy sauce	1 ¼ cups
Sake	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup
Ginger, sliced	2-inch piece
Scallions, halved	3
Garlic, peeled	3 cloves smashed + 8 cloves sliced
Sugar, brown	2 packed tablespoons
Water	1 ½ cups + 6 cups + 6 cups + 6 cups
Pork belly, skin-on	1 pound
Eggs, cold	4 large
Oil, canola	½ cup
Cayenne	1 tablespoon
Sesame seeds	2 teaspoons
Wheat noodles, fresh	4 ounces

Chicken dashi 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a bare simmer; remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. 
2. Add the mushrooms and kombu, and let steep for 5 minutes. 
3. Add bonito flakes, and let steep 5 minutes more. 
4. Strain the dashi; reserve solids. 

Tare & chashu 

1. In a large pot over medium heat, bring the mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugars, ginger, scallions, smashed garlic, and 1 ½-cups water to a low simmer, then reduce heat to low. 
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, bring the pork and 6-cups water to a bare simmer; immediately drain, and gently rinse the pork. 
3. Transfer the pork to the pot with the tare, and bring to a simmer. 
4. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. 
5. Let cool 20 minutes, then strain and reserve the tare liquid. 
6. Refrigerate the pork and tare separately. 

Nitamago 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring 6-cups water to a boil. 
2. Prink the bottom of the eggs with a pin. 
3. Gently lower the eggs into the pot with a spoon, and simmer for 6 minutes; drain. 
4. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath, and let cool 5 minutes. 
5. Thoroughly and gently crack the eggshells, then return to the ice bath to cool for 10 minutes more. 
6. Carefully peel the eggs, and transfer to a medium bowl. 
7. Pour tare over; weigh down the eggs with the reserved spent kombu to fully immerse in liquid. 
8. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, and up to 12. 

Garlic la-yu 

1. In a small pot over very low heat, simmer the garlic in canola oil, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 15 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat, stir in the cayenne, then the seeds; let cool. 

Serving 

1. Slice the chashu into 2-inch-wide slices; torch lightly, if desired. 
2. In a pot of boiling water, cook the noodles, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes; drain. 
3. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the dashi and mushrooms to a simmer; cook 1 minute. 
4. Transfer the dashi to a serving bowl, then add tare and noodles. 
5. Top with mushrooms, chashu, nitamago, scallion, and a drizzle of la-yu. 

Recipe from Delish magazine by June Xie.