Dinner party

Citrus lovers will adore these fluffy puddings drizzled in marmalade syrup.

Vincotto honey and rosemary take these spiced, poached pears to another level. An elegant end to a dinner party.

Thick ready-made custard is sold in the refrigerated section of supermarkets. Note

A fresh and fragrant braised duck dish that is fragrant and full of flavour. Most types of dried mushrooms will work well; if you want to stick with the Asian theme of the dish, use dried shiitakes.

You need about 1.3kg fresh peas to get the amount of podded peas required for this recipe. Note

The rosemary spiked into the lamb infuses the meat with the most wonderful flavour, while the lemony marinade flavours both the lamb and the vegetables.

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Note

We've cooked this beef fillet with herb and mustard crust to a medium level of doneness. This cut of meat is delicious either rare or well done, the secret is to let it rest well before serving to preserve the tenderness.

Pasta and pippies are a delicious combination, this dish is loaded with both, plus prawns, mussels, white fish, parsley and lemon.

We used the grenadine syrup to add some colour to the punch; you can use any cordial you like, however, the colour may not be as intense as that of the grenadine. Strawberry ice-blocks can be made at least a week before the party. Finish the punch as close to serving as possible. Note

Soy and chilli permeate the flesh of this tender, steamed fish served with a pile of greens and sweet chilli sauce.

Some days, all that is required is a simple roast with veg. We've cooked the beef to a rare finish in this recipe, leave it in the oven a little longer, if you like. However you like it cooked, remember to let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Toast fingers can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container. The tomato and cheese can be chopped the day before, and placed in separate small bowls, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. Parsley should be chopped and fingers assembled just before serving. Note

These delicious salty bundles are also fantastic with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Note

We normally think to accompany seafood with either lime or lemon for that added citrusy flavour. Here, we've chosen orange, and the results are absolutely spectacular.

Serve this chilli crab with finger bowls and plenty of napkins. Shellfish or nut crackers make breaking the claws easier and a long, narrow seafood fork helps remove the flesh.

This is a great pasta dish to cook for friends; it's quick and easy to make and always tastes delicious.

Gremolata is a condiment made with a garlic, herb and lemon zest base. It adds real zing to a meat dish like osso buco and cuts through the richness. Gremolata can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge.

Shoulder is a great cut for a recipe like this Italian braised pork as it stays tender and moist without being fatty. Ask your butcher to bone, roll and tie the cut for you.

Ravioli are little pillows of pasta stuffed with a variety of delicious fillings including meat, fish, cheese and vegetables, and they don't have to be an Italian delicacy. This ravioli with greens recipe takes the basic form and fills it with the spices and flavours of Asia.

Gnocchi with caramelised pumpkin & sage sauce

Slow cooking the pork in this way will result in a meat so tender that you could cut it with a spoon. Serve with a steaming bowl of rice to ensure you soak up every last drop of that delicious sauce.

With a crunchy biscuit base, ice-cream filling with sliced banana, toffeed pecans and a drizzle of caramel sauce, this decadent tart will satisfy the sweetest tooth.

Everybody loves a traditional roast. Ditch the usual carb-heavy vegetables for this wonderfully coloured and flavoured mediterranean ensemble and there'll be no complaints at dinnertime.

This dish is as simple as gathering all the ingredients together and throwing them in the wok for a few minutes to cook. Add more or less chilli to this dish according to taste.

Pomegranate and fennel salad makes a fresh, fruity side for this tender pineapple-glazed ham. This simple meal makes a great alternative Christmas lunch or festive meal.

When this classic French dessert is done well, nothing can beat its silky, cream texture. Don't forget to sieve your custard and remember to insulate with a tea towel so the outside doesn't cook too quickly.

In just under 15 minutes this delicious and healthy stir fry can be on the table. Serve with hot, steamed rice, if you like.

Take a trip to the fish markets for the freshest produce you can find for these individual seafood mornay pots topped with crispy gratin. They're absolutely delicious.

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent the skewers burning during cooking. Note

The ganache can be made 2 days ahead; store in the refrigerator. When ready to use, beat with an electric mixer until it is of a spreadable consistency. Decorate the log with fresh cherries, if you like. Note

French trimmed lamb cutlets are the ones where the meat and fat have been removed from the bone entirely.

Truffles are a cook’s secret pleasure: they look splendidly impressive but are actually quite effortless to make. Basically a round of chilled flavoured ganache rolled in melted milk, dark or white chocolate with, perhaps, cocoa, coconut, chopped nuts or citrus rind, a truffle is refrigerated until it’s set then presented en masse or singly, with […]

The dark, smoky flavours of tea and the warm spice of star anise bring out the autumnal sweetness of poached pears.

Can be made a day ahead up to step 2, and left covered in the fridge. Note

Coriander root adds great depth of flavour to these delicious seared salmon fillets served with nam jim and cucumber salad.

The ultimate summer cocktail, this watermelon cosmo is sweet with juice and zesty with lime.

These succulent salmon parcels with orange and soy are gently steamed as they cook.

The salmon in these filo parcels will be cooked medium, slightly pink in the middle; increase or decrease the baking time depending on how you like yours cooked.

Wrapping a turkey breast in prosciutto before roasting it helps keep the meat tender and juicy as well as adding lots of flavour to the finished dish.

Tender chicken breasts stuffed with smoked salmon and goat's cheese make for a fabulous dinner party main. You could also make this recipe with double lamb cutlets or butterflied quail instead of the chicken.

Stuffing chicken breasts helps keep them moist and juicy while cooking, as well as adding a huge flavour boost to the finished dish.

These spicy oysters are sure to win over your guests at a barbeque or cocktail party. You can make the spicy dressing in the morning and dress the oysters just prior to serving.

Cover puddings halfway through cooking if the tops are becoming too brown. Note

Serve accompanied by fresh raspberries. Note

As your butcher to bone the lamb loin for you. Slice thickly and serve with roasted vegetables and minty peas. Cold roast lamb is delicious for sandwiches the next day, if there is any leftover.

Use a good quality chicken stock instead of the consommé, if you prefer. 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 and cook, uncovered, on wire rack, about 1¾ hours. Note

The meltingly soft flesh of this slow-roasted duck leg is rich and gamey and perfectly paired with the balsamic vegetables.

Scotch broth is one of those classic, thrifty recipes designed to help you feed a growing family nourishing food on a tiny budget.

Quick and tasty, peppercorn beef stir-fry is the perfect mid-week dinner for those days when you need a bit of a boost.

These flavour filled little tarts make a great shared platter for a cocktail party, or a starter for a special meal.

A roast beef rib still on the bone is the indisputable king of roasts. Served here with a homemade mustard bearnaise sauce, this is a meal worth celebrating for.

This divine bacon wrapped chicken recipe is beautiful enjoyed straight straight from the pan served with fresh veggies for a tasty family dinner.

Get your iron Popeye-style with this cream of spinach soup with lemon fetta toasts.

Garlic and rosemary smoked lamb is delicious served cold the next day, as well as while still hot.

The key to making a success of the meal on a big day is all about planning and preparation. If you’re not already a list-maker, become one; having a list will make everything seem so much easier. The special meals, like this wonderful lobster dish, will come together nicely.

Serve these rum-spiked chocolate cake pops at your next cocktail party and watch as they quickly disappear.

Mozzarella or fontina cheese can be substituted for feta cheese, if preferred. Note

Serve slices of this moreish pizza at your next party and watch as they quickly disappear.

The kids will adore these little white chocolate cups with strawberries and fruche. For a more adult version, leave out the fruche and dip the strawberries in white chocolate before arranging them in the cups.

Let your guests unwrap their own fish “package” at the table so that the spicy aroma wafts up from the plates and enlivens their appetites. Foil can be used if banana leaves are unavailable. Many supermarkets and greengrocers sell bundles of trimmed banana-leaf squares; they can also be used as placemats for an Asian meal. […]

Have you always wanted to roast a goose for Christmas day? Here's your chance with this simple recipe. Don't let the addition of chicken giblets put you off, they help the stuffing graduate from delicious to amazing!

Dolloped with whipped tomato mascarpone and crispy prosciutto, these olive pikelets are fantastic for a party.

Use 250g marinara mix or your favourite seafood in this recipe. Note

Delight your guests or the family with these zesty, fresh rice paper rolls.

To jazz up this recipe, cook 375g fresh papardelle pasta and toss with sliced cooked chicken and its juices, 50g fresh baby rocket, 100g torn fresh bocconcini and a light drizzle of olive oil.

With juicy, tender pieces of scallop and crab you'll keep coming back to this spicy warm noodle salad for a flavoursome and quick meal.

It's one of those classic pairings, like cookies and cream or peanut butter and chocolate. These lemon meringues will suit everyone, from sweet-tooth lovers to those of us who appreciate something with a little more zest.

Check the seasoning of your chutney before serving. It should be hot from the chilli; sweet from the nuts and yoghurt and salty and sour from the lime juice. Note

There are many flavours in this exquisite chocolate winter pudding, lavender, honey, chocolate and orange, that mingle and flow together to create something rather beautiful.

Impress your guests with this rich French delicacy. With tender duck and a smooth orange glaze they'll be raving for quite some time.

Serving up a whole fish for dinner always makes an impact, and this powerfully spicy ginger and chilli baked fish is no exception.

This recipe is designed to work in a camp oven, but you can use a conventional oven instead, if desired. Place the roasting/baking dish with oven juices on a stove to make sauce.

There's no need to spend hours making the perfect starter; this spicy seafood dish takes just a few minutes to make and will be gobbled up just as quickly.

These cassia spiced lamb cutlets cooked on stone, pathar ka gosht, are excellent as a starter or as part of a banquet meal.

This Italian tart with sour cream pastry and a sweet quince jam filling is wonderfully simple to make and delicious to eat.

Star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper and fennel seeds are the spices that make these lamb shanks in five-spice with tamarind and ginger so fragrant.

Salt cod is a Mediterranean delicacy and can be bought from speciality stores.

Delight your loved ones at Easter time or just as a special dessert with these white chocolate and passionfruit mousse eggs.

The best of sweet and spicy flavours combine in this one delicious noodle dish. Silken salmon and honey are mixed with chilli, garlic and soy for an authentic Asian taste.

A delicious and easy recipe for spiced fried fish with lemon pistachio couscous. We used bream here, but you can use any firm white fish fillet, such as perch, blue eye or ling.

Rich, fruity and topped with toffee, this upside-down banana cake is sure to become a firm favourite. Delicious on it's own, or served warm with a dollop of thick cream.