Dinner ideas

We used leftover roasted kumara, potato, red onion, zucchini and capsicum in this recipe, but any remaining roasted vegetables are suitable to use. Note

Turn a ramekin upside down on one corner of the pastry sheet and cut around it to make each pie “cap”. You’ll easily get four from the one sheet, with enough left over to make tiny leaves or stars to decorate each pie’s cover, if you desire. Note

Creamy and delicious, when it comes to side dishes this celeriac mash is a star.

Tom ka gai, a spicy and sour hot soup with coconut milk in Thai cuisine and Lao cuisine, from Australian Women's Weekly.

The secret to good rabbit casserole is long and slow cooking. You may be able to source it from your local farmers' market, otherwise you can order on-line from a number of game meat specialists in Australia.

An Asian-style chicken salad with a mandarin dressing - perfect for light dinners or lunches.

The tamarind is best described as both sweet and sour in taste, and is high in tartaric acid, sugar, B vitamins and, strangely enough, calcium. It compliments snapper beautifully.

Fragrant tandoori lamb, cooked to perfect pinkness, accompanied with a fresh and healthy sambal makes an easy and complete, low carb meal.

suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

We've used snapper here but any white fish is delicious when dressed with traditional Japanese flavours. The result is a fresh, healthy and light meal. Both black and white sesame seeds are used in Japanese cooking; white sesame seeds have a nutty flavour, while black sesame seeds taste more bitter.

Kidney beans are a great source of protein, complex carbohydrates, minerals and several vitamins. However, they do lack the full spectrum of essential amino acids, so­ serve the frittata with a slice of wholegrain bread or scatter it with sesame seeds to get them all.

Beggar's chicken is a dish from Changshu, Jiangsu province. The chicken is stuffed, wrapped in clay-like dough, and roasted.

The kids will love these simple baked jacket potatoes with savoury mince topping, and so will the household budget.

Spicy barbecued chicken pieces with an even spicier tomato salsa.

We've detailed how to clean and prepare the calamari below; it's easier than you think! Remember that calamari cooks incredibly quickly; it's important not to overcook it because it will become tough and chewy, ruining the delicate nature of this tasty dish.

Succulent lamb fillets form the centre of these tasty little Greek-style pastry with spinach and feta cheese.

Kids will love this mildly spiced rice dish loaded with vegies and chicken.

Pork wrapped in bacon, what could be better.

Give your pork a special kick with this amazing Andalusian marinade and slow-cook it to perfection. It should fall apart at the merest touch of a fork.

This recipe serves 4 as a vegetarian main meal with rice, but you can also serve it as part of an Indian banquet to serve 8. Okra, also known as lady fingers, is a green, ridged, oblong pod with a furry skin. While native to Africa, this vegetable is used in Indian, Middle-Eastern and southern […]

Slice this delicious Italian-style roast pork thickly and serve with creamy mashed potato and salad for a delicious special occasion family meal.

This roast is delicious accompanied with gravy and vegetables or salad of your choice. The chorizo seasoning can be prepared and served separately as a side dish, rather than as a stuffing, if desired.

A classic French chicken casserole braised in a rich red wine and vegetable sauce.

Packed full of fresh ingredients and mild spice, this tasty Asian salad combines crunchy noodles and crisp vegetables to create a delicious dish for lunch or dinner.

Tender braised octopus with spicy chilli rice is an excellent dish for a casual lunch with friends.

This is not an easy dish to master, but it is spectacular; sticky, crispy, plum sauce-glazed skin, succulent duck meat and green onion pancakes make a meal to impress any guest with.

Packages of mixed frozen peas and corn are found in most supermarkets. You will need to cook approximately ²/³ cup of rice for this recipe. Note

Using fresh coconut for dishes like this will enhance the flavour immeasurably, and you’ll find that many greengrocers and supermarkets now sell plastic bags of shredded or grated fresh coconut in their Asian ingredient section. Another option is to buy a halved coconut at the greengrocer or Asian food store, remove and shred the flesh […]

Brimming with flavour, this slow-cooked curry is perfect for the cooler weather.

A fragrant and herbaceous vegetable tagine with olive & parsley couscous from Australian Women's Weekly.

Chinese water spinach is a mild, versatile vegetable with crunchy white stalks and tender, dark green leaves. It resembles a bunch of spinach (which can be substituted) but has longer, more flexible leaves and thicker stems.

You’ll need about half a bunch of snake beans for this recipe. Use green beans, if you prefer. Note

A healthy and vegetarian zucchini burger with beetroot and tomato relish.

A rich, healthy and satisfying lamb and lentil curry served with wafer-thin Indian poppadoms.

A delicious Middle Eastern-styled dish of Za'atar-grilled lamb with fattoush.

This deliciously hearty lamb and white bean soup is full of iron, protein and all the goodness of fresh vegetables. It's a meal in itself and perfect for cold winter nights.

The combination of chilli, lime and coriander is irresistible in this fragrant dish of rice noodles and thinly sliced steak.

A healthy and organic dhal with ginger, zucchini, carrot from Australian Women's Weekly.

Chopped macadamias add crunch to this colourful, healthy stir-fry.

Tender slices of duck, sweet orange and fennel go together beautifully in this elegant dish.

Ask the butcher to butterfly the turkey for you. The turkey can be cooked in the oven, if you prefer. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and cook, uncovered, on wire rack, for about 1¾ hours. Note

A fresh and vibrant apple slaw with a buttermilk dressing from Australian Women's Weekly.

Bring a little bit of Belgium to your kitchen with this classic dish. Serve with some crusty bread to soak up that delicious broth, and be generous with the finger bowls!

Larger supermarkets stock ready-mashed potato. You will find it either in the refrigerated or freezer sections. Jars of caramelised onion can be found in the condiment aisle. Note

Fresh and fragrant snake bean salad with desiccated coconut and lime juice.

Rich and creamy mushroom gravy makes a gorgeous topping for a perfectly cooked t-bone steak.

This Asian spiced salmon dish is absolutely mouthwatering. The delicate, sweetness of the Nashi pears are a perfect accompaniment.

You will need two bunches of asparagus and a quarter of a medium wombok for this recipe. A barbecued chicken can also be used; remove and discard bones and skin then shred meat coarsely before tossing with remaining salad ingredients. Note

Filled with spicy stir-fried rice and fresh crab meat, this delicious omelette makes for an easy yet sophisticated dinner or lunch.

To make the classic quattro stagione(Italian for `four seasons’) pizza, keep theolives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes onseparate quarters of the pizzas. Note

Delicious grilled tuna with fried noodles and cabbage from Australian Women's Weekly.

Slow cooking the tomatoes draws out both their flavour and their sweetness, leading to a rich, caramelised topping on the crisp base of this tart.

A Portuguese rendition of a traditional dish of coastal India called Sagoti.

Soft and tender braised duck ragu with pappardelle from Australian Women's Weekly,

Discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms before slicing as they are too tough to eat. If you like, replace the shiitakes with the same quantity of either button or swiss brown mushrooms. You could also add a handful of frozen (or cooked fresh) peas at the same time as the cream. Note

Comforting baked kumara gnocchi in a rich and creamy garlic sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

A colourful and fragrant Indian-style chicken salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

This recipe is best made close to serving. Note

Red curry paste, fish sauce and lime juice give this chilli pork its classic Thai flavour. It's a fast, fresh and tasty dinner that's perfect for a mid-week boost.

Convenience and ease are the hallmarks of this meal, a good addition to a menu plan where you're looking to feed a family well for less.

Accompany fritters with a salad for a light meal or serve them as a side dish if preferred. Fritters can be cooked a day ahead. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place fritters on an oven tray and reheat in a 150°C oven as required. Note

With hits of flavour from lemongrass, coriander and chilli, this easy beef and noodle dish makes a healthy weeknight dinner.

Serve this delicious medley of autumn vegetables with your next roast dinner.

A hearty and delicious witches potion with garlic wortweed rolls from Australian Women's Weekly.

This prosciutto and pea gratin is like a gourmet macaroni cheese and is bound to be a hit with all the family.

We used blue-eye fillets for this recipe, but any white fish fillet will be fine. You need to buy a 350g bunch of watercress. Note

A crispy and delicious Indian-style tandoori chicken dish; perfect for sharing with friends and family. Serve with coriander, cucumber and mint salad and mint raita.

This quick and easy Mediterranean inspired dinner is perfect for a mid-week meal. Serve your tender grilled steak with veggies and tasty baba ganoush for a flavour-packed dish your family will love.

Your mouth will be watering in anticipation by the time you serve up this divine slow-roasted lamb shoulder, thanks to the good smells that will fill the house as it cooks.

Tender lamb with a tangy Thai dipping sauce and green salad.

Try this healthy and flavoursome warm lentil and chorizo salad with a macadamia oil dressing.

A lean and healthy lamb salad with ras el hanout, a North African spice.

Give your regular roasted chicken an Asian kick with this hoisin, lime and chilli flavoured version. Served with baby bok choy, it's a complete, flavourful and low carb meal.

For one-pot cooking, French provincial dishes can't be beaten with their simple methods and big flavours.

A herby and crunchy Asian salad with tender beef - a real summer delight.

One of those perfect stand-by recipes for a week-night family dinner, you can use a can of flavoured tuna, such as chilli or lemon pepper, to add interest if you like.

You need to cook about 1 cup (200g) of white long-grain rice the day before making this recipe. Spread it in an even layer on a tray and refrigerate overnight. Note

To freeze; complete recipe to the end of step 3. Transfer to an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a large saucepan until hot. Stoba, a popular stew eaten throughout the Caribbean, is usually made with goat, but we’ve used lamb because it’s […]

Tender, delicious and full of colour; warm beef salad with black-eyed peas, corn and chimichurri.