Portuguese

Papas con Fideos This recipe is from Delia Marcus, who was taught how to feed her Gypsy husband properly by her mother-in-law. Marcus founded flamencarte.com, a referral service for flamenco-oriented visits to Seville.

New England has a large Portuguese population. Their numbers are most concentrated in Massachusetts fishing centers, such as New Bedford, Glouchester and Providencetown, where they've had an important influence on the cuisine. One of their specialties is fried scallops, Portuguese-style--a sauté of bay scallops in butter with garlic and parsley. We've elaborated on the basic dish by adding shrimp, mushrooms, green onions and a white wine sauce. Serve it over rice, and offer buttered peas or broccoli on the side.

You can make the creamy, custardy treat with an earth-shattering crust at home—in a muffin pan!