diff --git a/esmvaltool/recipes/testing/recipe_portrait_CMIP_fast.yml b/esmvaltool/recipes/testing/recipe_portrait_CMIP_fast.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 002df5b4a8..0000000000
--- a/esmvaltool/recipes/testing/recipe_portrait_CMIP_fast.yml
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@@ -1,160 +0,0 @@
-# ESMValTool
----
-documentation:
-  title: Performance metrics plots.
-  description: >
-    Test recipe for the performance comparison of CMIP simulations to a reference dataset.
-  authors:
-    - lindenlaub_lukas
-  maintainer:
-    - lindenlaub_lukas
-  references:
-    - eyring21ipcc
-    - gleckler08jgr
-
-cmip5: &CMIP5
-  project: CMIP5
-  ensemble: r1i1p1
-
-datasets:
-  # cmip5
-  - {<<: *CMIP5, dataset: ACCESS1-0}
-  - {<<: *CMIP5, dataset: CESM1-BGC}
-  - {<<: *CMIP5, dataset: GFDL-ESM2M}
-  - {<<: *CMIP5, dataset: MIROC-ESM}
-  - {<<: *CMIP5, dataset: MRI-CGCM3}
-  # cmip6
-  - {dataset: ACCESS-ESM1-5, institute: CSIRO}
-  - {dataset: CESM2, institute: NCAR}
-  - {dataset: GFDL-CM4, grid: gr1}
-  - {dataset: MIROC-ES2L, ensemble: r1i1p1f2}
-  - {dataset: MRI-ESM2-0}
-
-
-preprocessors:
-  default: &default  # common preprocessor settings
-    regrid:
-      target_grid: 3x3
-      scheme: linear
-    distance_metric:
-      metric: weighted_rmse
-    climate_statistics:
-      operator: mean
-      period: month
-    mask_fillvalues:
-      threshold_fraction: 0.95
-    multi_model_statistics:
-      span: overlap
-      statistics:
-        - operator: mean
-        - operator: percentile
-          percent: 50
-      groupby: ['project']
-      # exclude all possible reference datasets
-      exclude: [
-        AIRS-2-1,
-        CERES-EBAF,
-        ERA-Interim,
-        ESACCI-AEROSOL,
-        ESACCI-CLOUD,
-        ESACCI-OZONE,
-        ESACCI-SOILMOISTURE,
-        ESACCI-SST,
-        GPCP-SG,
-        HadISST,
-        NCEP-NCAR-R1,
-        MODIS,
-        NIWA-BS,
-        PATMOS-x]
-  pp200:  # only add/overwrite var specific settings
-    <<: *default
-    extract_levels:
-      levels: 20000
-      scheme: linear
-      coordinate: air_pressure
-  pp500:  # only add/overwrite var specific settings
-    <<: *default
-    extract_levels:
-      levels: 50000
-      scheme: linear
-      coordinate: air_pressure
-  thr10:  # only add/overwrite var specific settings
-    <<: *default
-    mask_fillvalues:
-      threshold_fraction: 0.10
-
-var_default: &var_default
-  mip: Amon
-  project: CMIP6
-  exp: historical
-  ensemble: r1i1p1f1
-  preprocessor: default
-  grid: gn
-  start_year: 2000
-  end_year: 2002
-  split: Ref1  # first triangle
-
-diagnostics:
-  portrait_rmse:
-    themes: [aerosols, phys, clouds, atmDyn, chem, ghg]
-    realms: [atmos, land, atmosChem, ocean]
-    variables:
-      tas: &tas
-        <<: *var_default
-        short_name: tas
-        variable: tas
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: ERA-Interim, project: OBS6, type: reanaly,
-             version: 1, tier: 3, reference_for_metric: true}
-      tas_2:
-        <<: *tas
-        split: Ref2
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: NCEP-NCAR-R1, project: OBS6, type: reanaly,
-             version: 1, tier: 2, reference_for_metric: true}
-      pr:
-        <<: *var_default
-        variable: pr
-        split: Ref1
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: GPCP-SG, project: OBS, type: atmos,
-             version: 2.3, tier: 2, reference_for_metric: true}
-      rsut:
-        <<: *var_default
-        variable: rsut
-        start_year: 2001
-        end_year: 2003
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: OBS, type: sat, version: Ed4.2,
-             tier: 2, reference_for_metric: true}
-      ua200: &ua200
-        <<: *var_default
-        variable: ua200
-        short_name: ua
-        preprocessor: pp200
-        split: Ref1
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: ERA-Interim, project: OBS6, type: reanaly,
-             version: 1, tier: 3, reference_for_metric: true}
-      ua200_2:
-        <<: *ua200
-        split: Ref2
-        additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: NCEP-NCAR-R1, project: OBS6, type: reanaly,
-             version: 1, tier: 2, reference_for_metric: true}
-
-    scripts:
-      portrait:
-        script: portrait_plot.py
-        x_by: dataset
-        y_by: variable  # extra_facet
-        group_by: project
-        normalize: "centered_median"
-        default_split: Ref1
-        nan_color: null
-        plot_kwargs:
-          vmin: -0.5
-          vmax: +0.5
-        cbar_kwargs:
-          label: Relative RMSE
-          extend: both