Dinner ideas

Fresh lemon thyme brings its lovely fragrance to these roast chicken pieces. Serve with the kipler potatoes and plenty of delicious cooking juices.

Be a little adventurous with your burger this time. Replace beef with pork and tomato sauce with sweet chilli sauce for an exciting new take on a classic dish.

Really ripe tomatoes and crisp, salty prosciutto make this pasta salad a sensational dish. Store tomatoes at room temperature, rather than in the fridge, which will alter the texture and spoil the flavour. To accelerate ripening, place in a paper bag with a ripe banana.

Upgrade your garden variety vegetable fritter to an altogether more exotic version with this vegetable bhaji. Add dollop of mango chutney and you'll be in heaven.

Packed full of flavour and spice, this hearty beef curry has a brilliant Vietnamese twist.

Take a trip to India with this warm soup made with tikka masala curry paste and best served with crunchy papadums.

Try cutting gnocchi into other fun shapes, such as hearts. Note

For a lighter version, replace coconut cream with a 270ml can of light coconut milk and ½ cup chicken stock. Note

Fresh and crisp, this pear and apple salsa is the perfect side for tender butterflied pork steaks.

Ground bean sauce is a mixture of soya beans, flour, salt, sugar and water. It is available from Asian food stores. To make your own version of ground bean sauce, add 1 teaspoon white sugar to 1 tablespoon black bean sauce. Snake beans are long (about 40cm), thin, round, fresh green beans, Asian in origin, […]

Crispy-skinned barbecue chicken is genuinely finger-licking paired with this tasty nam jim sauce.

To save on cleaning time, line the base of each dish with baking paper. Note

This is gorgeous, capturing the full flavour of late summer corn, offset with creamy avocado and lime and an intriguing mix of spices, with added pungency from coriander and chilli.

Balti biryani gets its name from the thin, pressed-steel wok it is traditionally cooked and served in. A spicy rice based dish with tender meat and fragrant curry.

This fragrant chicken and pumpkin curry is packed full of flavour and mild spice. Enjoy a bowlful hot off the stove for a warming Winter dinner.

Drained capsicum from a jar can be used, if preferred. Goes well with cold macaroni salad; grilled chicken breasts; barbecued sardines. Note

A classic Asian dish, this spicy panang curry sauce works beautifully with tender beef to create this flavour packed meal.

These pork skewers saltimbocca-style with proscuitto make a great starter or shared platter for a party.

You could use broccolini or broccoli instead of the asparagus, if you like. Note

This fresh and fragrant Asian-inspired noodle dish makes a great change from a midweek takeaway. It's easy to make and has the added punch of chilli, Vietnamese mint and Thai basil.

You need four bunches of asparagus for this recipe. Note

Serve with a green salad Note

These delicious devilled lamb chops are cooked in chutney and soy sauce. A quick and fruity recipe that's delicious served with mash and a classic two veg.

The luxurious flavour of these butterscotch bananas completely belies the ease with which they are prepared. These sticky, caramelised morsels can only be enhanced by lashings of the creamy nougat yoghurt topping.

This quick and easy take on a traditional Japanese dish, makes a perfect mid-week dinner.

These grilled cutlets are perfect teamed with an earthy Middle-Eastern inspired puree and a crisp, fresh salad.

Rigani is a dried Greek oregano, often sold in dried bunches, which the leaves crumble off easily. It is available from delicatessens or greengrocers. If it’s hard to find, use dried oregano leaves instead. You can also roast the lamb in a 220ºC/425ºF oven for 35 minutes. Note

While it's more commonly paired with apple, pear is a spectacular match for succulent pork.

Salmon can be marinated for 2 hours before cooking. Chicken stock can be used instead of the consommé. Note

The lamb can be cooked in the oven, if you prefer. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F and roast, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Note

Save time by using char-grilled zucchini slices from the deli section of your supermarket. Note

If you prefer, substitute 8 chicken legs or 4 chicken marylands for thigh cutlets. Smoked spanish paprika, also known as pimiento, gives this dish its characteristic Spanish flavour. Note

The cooking time of perch depends on the thickness of the fillet. Note

More than just fancy macaroni cheese, this baked three cheese pasta is cheesy, creamy and crunchy on top. Ok, maybe it is a fancy macaroni cheese, but it's a great one.

Combine these 'brats' - otherwise known as bratwurst sausages - with cabbage and speck and you'll have a hearty and delicious meal. Perfect with a winter evening in front of the fire.

Fresh, tasty and well spiced, bang bang chicken salad is an enduring classic for a reason!

Recipe can made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator this allows the flavours to develop overnight. Note

You'll have dinner on the table in no time with this quick and easy stir-fry.

Broccolini is milder and sweeter than traditional broccoli and it is edible from flower to stem. When buying broccolini look for shiny stems with dark green buds and leaves. Note

Beetroot will discolour your skin, so use disposable gloves when handling it. Baby carrots are also called dutch carrots, it’s rarely necessary to peel them. Prepare beetroot, carrots and the yogurt mixture the day before the picnic. Assemble salad at serving time. Note

Ask your butcher to score, roll and truss the pork neck. Note

Sharp and tasty whipped feta toasts make a wonderful contrast to this cool, mild chilled cucumber soup.

Kecap manis is a dark brown, thick and sweet indonesian soy sauce. It usually contains star anise, garlic and palm sugar, giving it a sharp, complex flavour. Find it at supermarkets and Asian food shops. Note

It may seem like a lot of dressing, but the rice will soak it all up. Note

Jazz up your standard family weeknight dinner with this delicious grilled Mexican stack, made by layering tortillas with melted cheese and a tender spiced chicken filling.

When preparing the couscous, add the sugar to taste, as the orange glaze with the chicken is quite sweet. Note

Chunks of tender pork steeped in the the earthy warmth of ginger and coconut milk - you can't go wrong with this moreish meal to beat the winter chills.

Chicken, asparagus and pea casserole

There's no need to call the local Chinese take-away when you can create delicious braised pork ribs with Asian greens all on your own.

Packed with tender seafood, tomato and saffron, this risotto is hearty and delicious and makes a great red meat-free meal.

Steak, bacon and mushrooms - the holy trinity of the culinary world join together in this whopper of a recipe that's all about the meat.

Toasted almonds make a delicious, nutty stuffing for this magnificent roast turkey. Remember, if you're roasting based on weight you should weigh the bird after you stuff it.

For an authentic touch, sprinkle with fried shallots (onions). Available from asian grocery stores and some major supermarkets. Note

Use drumsticks or drumettes instead of wings; cooking time will vary. Rainbow salad mix consists of shredded beetroot, carrot and broccoli stem. Make ahead: You can make satay sauce up to a day ahead; cover, then chill. Note

Add some chopped bacon or prosciutto to the mix for extra flavour. Note

Snake beans are popular in Asian cooking. The pods are olive green, round, about 90cm long and 5-8mm wide. They are picked when young and crisp with soft seeds. If they are unavailable, use green beans. This dish would also be delicious with mixed seafood. Note

This recipe utilises the classic Italian technique of removing sausage meat from the casing before cooking. It makes for a tasty, succulent pasta with sausage meat in a savoury tomato sauce.

Save time by using store-bought barbecued chicken. You won't lose out on any flavour, and dinner will be ready much quicker.

Warm, creamy and hearty, this tasty four-cheese penne dish is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for a family dinner on a cooler evening.

Cheesy eggplant bake

Smoked salmon can be used instead of bacon. Note

This is a quick dish – have everything ready before you begin to cook. Note

For this recipe, you can use any Asian greens you have on hand. Roast cashews on an oven tray in a moderate oven, 180°C, for 5-10 minutes. Chop roughly, if liked. Note