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.

Castella

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 60 minutes + 3 hours rest; Yield: 8 servings

Butter, unsalted	¾ teaspoon
Water, lukewarm	2 ½ tablespoons
Honey	5 ½ tablespoons
Eggs	6 larges
Sugar, granulated	200 grams
Flour, white bread	200 grams
Matcha powder	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a 8-inch springform pan with butter, and line with parchment paper. 
2. Sift together the flour and matcha powder; set aside. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and honey, and whisk vigorously. 
4. Add the eggs, and blend vigorously until smooth. 
5. Add the sugar; whisk the eggs and sugar at high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens and falls in ribbons from the beater. 
6. Pour into a large bowl, and add the flour mixture in three batches, mixing very lightly with a hand whisk. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tapping lightly on the counter to release any small air bubbles. 
8. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is golden brown. 
9. Remove from the oven, and turn over so the baked side is facing down. 
10. Release and remove the springform pan, and peel off the parchment paper. 
11. Cover the cake with a clean tea towel, and set aside at room temperature for at least 3 hours. 

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.

Salt cod fritters

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 45 minutes; Yield: 12 to 15

Salt cod fillets	500 grams
Potatoes, russet, scrubbed but not peeled	500 grams
Onions, finely chopped	2 medium
Parsley, chopped	1 bunch
Nutmeg, freshly grated	1 teaspoon
Eggs, lightly beaten	5
Vegetable oil	For frying
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Desalinate the cod for 24 hours in a bowl of water placed in the bottom of the refrigerator, changing the water two to three times during the soaking; drain off the soaking water. 
2. Place the cod in a wide saucepan of fresh cold water. 
3. Heat until the water is simmering, then turn off the heat and lave the cod to poach in the residual heat for 20 minutes; drain. 
4. Once cold, flake the cod, removing and discarding the skin and bones; set aside. 
5. Cook the potatoes in salted water, or steam them for 25 minutes, then remove the skins; mash to purée. 
6. Mix the flaked cod and mashed potatoes in a large bowl. 
7. Add the onions, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. 
8. Add the eggs to the cod mixture, and mix until they bind the mixture well. 
9. Using two spoons, shape the mixture into fritters. 
10. Heat the oil to 350°F, or until a piece of the mixture, when thrown in, sizzles immediately. 
11. Carefully fry the fritters in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. 
12. Once they are golden brown, take them out and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Recipe from Portugal Recipes & Ingredients by Anaïs Bourny Delon & Nicolas Lobbestaël.

Rainbow cake with pink frosting

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Yield: 10 to 14 servings

Flour, cake	24 ounces
Sugar, granulated	24 ounces + 8 ¾ ounces
Salt	1 teaspoon + Pinch
Baking powder	2 tablespoons
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Egg whites	10 ounces + 7 ounces
Oil, vegetable	6 ounces
Buttermilk, room temperature	8 ounces + 10 ounces
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	12 ounces + 16 ounces
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
Raspberries	10 ounces
Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon
Food coloring gel	½ teaspoon per color layer

1. Preheat oven to 335°F; lightly butter and flour six 8-inch-by-2-inch cake pans, and place a round piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. 
2. Combine 8-ounces buttermilk and the oil; set aside. 
3. Combine the remaining buttermilk, 10-ounces egg whites, and vanilla; whisk to integrate the eggs; set aside. 
4. Combine the flour, 24-ounces sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment; mix 10 seconds. 
5. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 30 seconds. 
6. Add milk-oil mixture, and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened, then increase speed to medium (setting 4 on a KitchenAid), and mix for 2 minutes. 
7. Scrape your bowl, and reduce speed to low. 
8. Add the egg-milk mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions. 
9. Scrape down the sides again to ensure everything has incorporated. 
10. Divide the batter into six bowls; weigh 15 ounces of batter for each bowl. 
11. Add ½-teaspoon food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) to each bowl. 
12. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the edges just start to pulling away from the cake pan. 
13. Immediately tap the pan firmly on the countertop once to release the steam of the cake; this stops the cake from shrinking. 
14. Cool for 10 minutes inside the pans before flipping out. 
15. Freeze for 30 to 60 minutes before frosting. 
16. Press the raspberries through a sieve, discard the seeds; set purée aside.  
17. Using a hand whisk and the stand mixer bowl, whisk together 7-ounces egg whites, 8 ¾-ounces sugar, and cream of tartar.  
18. Place the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water.  
19. Gently whisk the mixture until it is very hot (130°F on a candy thermometer).  
20. Move the bowl to the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they have tripled in volume and are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks, 3 to 4 minutes.  
21. Reduce speed to medium-low, and continue for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bowl is just cool to touch.  
22. Increase speed to medium-high, and add 16-ounces butter, one piece at a time, adding the next piece just as the previous one is incorporated.  
23. Stop the mixer every so often to scrape down the sides.
 At some point, the buttercream appears curdled; don’t worry, this is normal.  
24. After all the butter is incorporated, and the frosting is light and fluffy, add the purée, 2-teaspoons vanilla, and pinch of salt.  
25. Rewhip the frosting by hand or with a mixer just before frosting the cake. 
26. For the crumb coat, top the purple layer with ¾-cup frosting, and spread to the edges for about ¼-inch thickness; repeat with the blue, green, yellow, orange, and red layers, then apply a thin layer of frosting all over; refrigerate 15 minutes. 
27. Frost with the remaining frosting. 

Modified recipe by Liz Marek on Sugar Geek Show.

Matcha cheesecake

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 2 hour + 5 refrigeration time; Yield: 8 servings

Butter, melted	100g
Graham crackers, crushed	180g
Sugar, granulated	25g + 200g
Matcha powder	24g
Cream cheese, room temperature	675g
Cream, heavy	320g
Cornstarch	16g
Eggs, divided; lightly beaten	2 whole + 2 yolks

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. 
3. Prepare boiling water for water bath. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine the crackers and 25g sugar, then the butter; dump into the prepared springform pan. 
5. Using a flat glass (I prefer my heavy-bottomed whiskey glass), press the crumbs into an even layer. 
6. Bake for 8 minutes; cool to room temperature. 
7. Reduce oven to 325°F. 
8. Gently whisk together 200g sugar and matcha powder to remove any lumps. 
9. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. 
10. Add the matcha-sugar mixture, starting slowly, whisk until smooth. 
11. Add one-third of the cream, whisking until smooth, then whisk in the remaining cream until well combined. 
12. Add the cornstarch, whisking until the mixture looks smooth. 
13. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until incorporated. 
14. Using a rubber spatula, scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the mixture is evenly incorporated. 
15. Pour over the prepared crust; tapping gently on the counter to level and dislodge any hidden air bubbles. 
16. Using an oven bag to protect the cheesecake, place the springform pan into a large waterbath pan, then place in the over. 
17. Carefully add the boiling water to the waterbath pan, about one-third to one-half the way up the side of the springform pan. 
18. Bake 70 minutes, until it wobbles and bounces when gently tapped on the side; turn off the oven, open the door about 1 inch, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for about 30 minutes. 
19. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving. 

Recipe by Aya Caliva on Pastry Living.