Family meal

Roasting stone fruits intensifies their flavour as well as drawing out their natural sweetness, which helps make this roast nectarine tart exceedingly delicious. Serve warm with lashings of cream.

Soft, sweet and mild pear makes the perfect sidekick for tart rhubarb in this delicious sponge-topped pudding. Serve with double cream or ice-cream.

Also known as Risotto Milanese, this classic risotto is traditionally served with Osso Buco but makes also a great simple dinner on its own.

A classic family favourite, this beautiful roast chicken dish is full of flavour from the baked fennel and garlic, and best of all you can cook almost the whole meal in one pan.

This fresh, protein-packed pasta with zucchini, tomato and ricotta is an easy, tasty mid-week dinner that makes it easy to stick to your meat-free quotient.

Quick, juicy and tender, these roasted pork fillets with orange make a great mid-week dinner. Serve with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Similar to creme caramel, cinnamon flan has the same delicate custard base topped with a burnt sugar caramel, but with added spice.

This is one of those throw-it-together-in-a-flash recipes that come in super handy mid-week, when you're flat-out but still want to eat well. Linguine with tuna, lemon and rocket is a classic pantry special.

Add some gourmet elements to the beloved Aussie pie with chunks of steak, succulent vegetables and crisp pastry crusts.

Rich eggplant and tender veal make this parmigiana recipe an enduring classic, fresh sage and bocconcini finish the dish beautifully. This is one of those dishes that quickly become a firm family favourite.

This is a simple, savoury dish that hits just the right spot on a cold, dark evening. The port gravy is the perfect accompaniment, and is best poured with a free hand.

Packed with spicy vegetables, juicy chicken and seasoning, whip up this salad in fifteen minutes.

As a sea-faring people for most of their history, the Portuguese know a thing or two about seafood and what to do with it, as this Portuguese-style seafood stew demonstrates.

Slow-roasting the veal breast with a selection of vegetables adds great flavours to the juices left behind in the pan. Serve this tender, tasty meat on soft polenta with a good splash of the cooking juice.

Salt and Sichuan pepper seasoning does wonderful things to the rich, dark taste of duck. If cooked cucumber is just not your thing, use zucchini instead of the lebanese cucumber.

Steaming this fabulous Thai-style steamed fish is best done in a bamboo steamer, but if you have a metal one just loosely wrap the whole parcel in baking paper.

A great source of both fibre and vitamins, plus calcium.

It's actually quite easy to skin whole hazelnuts. Just roast in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes, then wrap in a tea-towel for one minute for the steam to loosen the skins, rub inside the towel to remove skins and then cool.

Baking the kumara and honey soy pork in the same dish helps ensure that the pork fillets stay juicy, and allows all the flavours of the dish to intermingle and intensify.

A saucy, spiced Cantonese vegetable mix designed to be served on top of poached or steamed snapper, grilled white fish fillets or poached chicken breasts.

A rich and intense beef stew from Trinidad that boasts five spices, as well as chilli, hot curry powder, ginger and garlic. Best to have some yoghurt or milk on hand!

Minute steak is a thinly cut slice that can come from any part of the cow, but is most often rump. It's a tasty and economical cut that can, and should be, cooked very quickly hence its name.

This recipe can be made a day ahead.

Ditch the store bought bread and make it like your grandparents used to. Your family will love the smell of freshly baked bread floating through the house...

You'll find a version of this popular soup in most Asian cuisines, this one has a Thai accent. A light chicken broth with noodles is like balm for the body and soul.

Shredded makrut lime leaves and fresh lime juice add a real zing to this chicken, chilli and kaffir lime stir-fry.

The classic French combination of tender veal cutlets and creamy, fragrant anchovy garlic butter is perfect for a special dinner with friends.

Za'atar is a Middle-Eastern blend of roasted dried spices; you can make your own as shown below or you can purchase it ready-made from Middle-Eastern food stores. It adds fabulous spice to this kebabs and hummus recipe.

An Asian twist on chicken burgers, with sweet pickled cucumber and spicy wasabi mayonnaise. Great for mid-week dinner or weekend lunch.

When the occasion calls for a light, tasty dinner you can't go past a plate of salmon steaks with a crisp fennel and apple salad. If you need something slightly more substantial, serve with good bread or a baked potato.

Chocolate cake, while simple, can be the most satisfying desserts. And with a smothering of this rich fudge frosting you'll taste the decadence with every bite.

This frittata, loaded with bacon and potato, makes a great weekend lunch dish, or a light dinner with a green salad and some crusty bread on the side.

Borlotti beans are also known as cannellini beans, but they're actually a paler, plumper variety of the humble kidney bean. This tomato and borlotti bean soup makes a nourishing lunch or dinner.

There's nothing like a bowl of proper, hearty soup on a cold day and this tomato and chorizo soup has all the warming power you're looking for.

Spicy, fragrant and wonderfully creamy, this beautiful red duck and lychee curry is perfect for a warming family dinner on a cooler evening.

There's something seductive about the melting cheese in this Veal Cordon Bleu that makes it timeless and one of our all-time favourites.

Rocket, garlic and chilli add lots of peppery heat to this quick but flavoursome spaghetti dish, while pine nuts and parmesan bring the whole dish together.

Freshly grated zest and fresh thyme perfume this light and tasty turkey and lemon risotto. If you prefer, you can use chicken breasts in place of the turkey.

This simple swordfish with Thai dressing should be cooked on a barbecue or griddle pan just before serving to help keep the fish at it's tender, juicy best.

Savoury and deeply satisfying, this vegetable curry is great as part of a banquet or as a meal on its own.

This lamb, eggplant and prune tagine is rich, unctuous and utterly delicious. Best served on a pile of fluffy couscous with preserved lemon.

Is your family sick of meat and veg? Try this easy, delicious new recipe for Thai beef with noodles. Fresh, fragrant and full of crunch and flavour.

This dish is sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party.

Ricotta cheese takes the place of bechamel sauce to make this a truly quick and easy lasagne without sacrificing flavour or texture.

A rich beef lasagne with the added flavour of garlic, mushrooms and wilted spinach, this classic family dish is sure to be a hit. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad for the full retro experience.

Try canned salmon with a little lemon juice in place of mushrooms. For a healthier version, replace cream with low-fat evaporated milk. To thicken, blend 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and stir slowly into remaining milk. Note

Risoni is a small pasta shaped like a grain of rice. You can substitute any small pasta in this recipe. Note

To spoon the thick cream layer off the top of the coconut cream, don’t shake the can as the thick cream will separate from the liquid underneath. If you shake it, you have to wait until the liquid settles into layers again. Note

Serve risotto quickly after stirring the radicchio through the rice, as the radicchio will discolour from the heat. This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

to freeze Complete recipe to the end of step 3. Cool sauce to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saucepan and continue from step 4. Stir in ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves just before serving, […]

Gorgeously sweet orange and maple glazed baby carrots. The perfect accompaniment for your next dinner party.

You could use beef sirloin or rib eye (scotch fillet) instead of the rump steak. Sukiyaki beef is available fresh and frozen from Asian grocery stores and selected supermarkets. A traditional sukiyaki pan is available from Japanese stores. Note

Make this stunning side dish in spring to take advantage of delicious in-season artichokes and peas.

To save time purchase 500g shelled prawns for this recipe. Note

Chicken and anything it is marinated in needs to be fully cooked to rid it of harmful bacteria. Wash any kitchen equipment that comes in contact with raw chicken thoroughly with warm soapy water. Chicken thighs are delicious, but are often overlooked in favour of breast fillets. The thigh is full of flavour and will […]

Yellow rock sugar is available from Asian supermarkets. It’s mainly used in braises and sauces as it gives them a lustre and glaze. To freeze; pour stock into freezer-proof containers, leaving a 2.5cm space to allow for expansion. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a […]

In this barbecued chicken recipe the segmented chicken is seasoned with delicious Mexican spices and served with grilled corn cobs and seared lime cheeks.

You can substitute 2 cups (400g) dried brown lentils, soaked overnight and boiled until just tender, for the canned lentils, if you prefer. Note

The perfect side dish to any roast dinner spread, these delicious baked rosemary potatoes will delight the whole family.

Makrut lime leaves, aromatic leaves of a citrus tree, are used similarly to bay leaves or curry leaves. They are available from major supermarkets and Asian food stores. If you can’t buy snake beans, use regular green beans. Laksa pastes vary in heat, so use only as much as suits your heat tolerance. Note

Don’t assemble or cook pizzas until just before serving to keep them from becoming soggy. Note

If you can’t buy hokkien noodles, use fresh wide egg noodles. Note

Pearl barley is a nutritious grain that has had the husk removed, and then has been hulled and polished so only the ‘pearl’ of the original grain remains, much the same as white rice. It is available from health-food stores and most supermarkets. Note

Warm risoni pasta creates a perfect base to let the vegetables shine in this dish fresh and easy dish that only takes 30 minutes to make.

Verjuice is available in delicatessens and supermarkets; it’s usually found in the vinegar aisle. It’s made from unripe grapes and has a slightly acidic taste. Ask the butcher to cut the rabbit into pieces. Note

Serve accompanied with asparagus or broccoli or a green leafy salad, if liked. You can use red salmon or canned tuna if you like. The recipe can be made to the end of step 4 several hours ahead. From cold, bake covered at 200°C for 30 minutes or until heated through then uncover and bake […]

You will need to buy one bunch of spinach (300g) to make this recipe. Note

Frittata can be cooked on top of the stove, in a medium lightly oiled slightly sided frying pan; cook on low heat, uncovered, until almost set, then brown frittata under a preheated grill. Frittata can be served hot or cold Note

You can use ½ cup dry sherry with ½ cup water instead of the chinese cooking wine. This dish is suitable to freeze at the end of step 1. Note