David Leite

Lamb racks have the perfect ratio of meat to fat to bone, giving them a delicious flavor. They're an easy. hassle-free way to make a meal special.

Portuguese Easter traditions are kept alive in Newark, NJ, by preparing traditional Easter dishes of lamb, peas with eggs, and flan.

A tasting of Portugal's famous white wine--vinho verde--at NYC's Astor Center was paired with food from David's upcoming cookbook. The matches were magical.

Dense and rich, this gluten-free cake is a fave among the Portuguese, and anyone who's ever tried it. Its unforgettable taste comes from almonds, lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla.

The Douro, the ancient and richly historied wine region of Portugal, has a siren's power to lure back nearly everyone who has ever had the pleasure to visit.

Why is it that you can make a perfect boule of a bread one day only to turn out something that looks like a deflated fritter the next?

The no-knead bread craze got David clamoring for a plump, round loaf. Cindi Kruth, a longtime LC tester, gave him some of Lexi, her 23-year-old starter. And the results were impressive

A stunner of a side dish, this luxuriantly smooth, creamy carrot and Parmigiano-Reggiano tart is certain to win friends and influence people.

This Christmas crown roast of pork is brined then rubbed with garlic and herbs then oven-roasted. The center of the crown roast is filled with wild rice.

Sweetly tart cranberries make an unexpected yet inspired match for this rich, creamy, vanilla-inflected, perfect-for-fall cheesecake. Bye bye, pumpkin pie.

Lots of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are added to the ethereally light and super smooth dessert mousse to give it a zip of flavor.

This little number pairs pork with prunes and sourdough for a sorta savory, sorta sweet concoction that goes spectacularly with the holiday turkey.

Ah, pucker-worthy cranberries, the oft maligned must-have cooks begrudgingly put on the Thanksgiving table, get their due here.

These Cornish pasties are sturdy pastries filled with meat, such as beef, plus lots of vegetables, including potatoes, onions, and carrots. Kids love them.

The cover art is finalized for The New Portuguese Table, and here's your first sneak peek. The book will be available for pre-order in November 2008.

For lobster thermidor, lobster is cooked and then coated in a rich thermidor sauce, seasoned with mustard and tarragon, and scooped back in the shell.

Slowly sweating the onions releases the sublime flavors of this English onion soup by Jamie Oliver. Use a variety of onions: white, red, and shallots.

For these ultimate chocolate chip cookies, our ever-persistent David researched for three months and ate plenty of cookies in the process. Here he shares his discoveries.

This spit-roasted duck by Mario Batali is slathered in orange marmalade, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar, then spun until mahogany brown.

It may be a tad boring looking from the outside, but wait 'til you see what this eggplant timbale is filled with on the inside.