Check for bones; pull them out with clean tweezers. Serve salmon with steamed rice and a green salad. Note

This is my own variation on the simple, classic omelette from Spain which usually has just onions, garlic and potatoes as the basis.

Pasilla chillies, also known as 'chile negro' because of their dark brown colour, possess a rich flavour that adds a smoky depth to the overall recipe.

These small French croquettes make for great snack or cocktail food.

Fried shallots, often sold by their Thai name of homm jiew, are available from Asian grocery stores in jars or cellophane bags, and will keep for months if stored tightly sealed. They can be added to any number of Western dishes for a tasty bit of surprise crunch. Note

Crunchy crumbed chicken schnitzel with a fresh and zingy coleslaw,

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.

For shallow-frying, add enough oil to come halfway up the side of the food to be fried. Aioli is garlic mayonnaise, available from the condiment aisle in most super markets. Note

Pide is a Turkish-style pizza, usually stuffed with a spiced lamb filling.

A quick and easy ricotta ravioli with pumpkin and sage sauce for a busy midweek Italian dinner.

Fresh lychees can be substituted for canned ones if you like. You can use pineapple and pineapple juice instead of lychees for a different flavour. This sauce also goes well with fried tofu, grilled chicken breasts or steamed greens. Note

Rich and delicious Italian-style stew with crushed tomatoes and borlotti beans.

The recipe is best made close to serving. Note

Crispy golden Moroccan pastry filled with spiced eggplant and ricotta and served with a colourful tomato salad.

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

Use regular mince, not lean, for a more juicy result. This starter is quite hearty and you may only require a lighter main such as a soup or salad. This would serve 4 as a main meal. Note

Patties can be made a day before the party, keep them covered in the fridge. The sauce can be made a week before the party, keep covered in the fridge. Assemble the burgers up to 3 hours before the party. Note

A quick, simple and delicious Mexican-style pizza; great for busy midweek evenings.

A quick and healthy pilaf for a busy midweek dinner.

Substitute red curry paste for green curry paste if you prefer. Note

Ghee is good to cook with as it doesn’t burn as quickly as butter. If you prefer, use 30g unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying. Micro cress is a cress that has been harvested at seedling stage. It is available at speciality greengrocers and markets. Micro cress is highly perishable, so must […]

You can use gravy beef for this recipe, if you prefer. Note

Substitute any of your favourite vegetables if you prefer them to the ones suggested in this recipe. A hot curry paste will boost the flavour, however, you can use any curry paste you like. Note

If shiso leaves are unavailable, substitute them with basil leaves. Note

Confit, from the French verb ‘confire’ meaning to preserve, means both a food item that has been slow-cooked in fat to cover, and also the cooking technique. Confit foods are exquisitely soft and delicately flavoured, so the technique is sometimes used, as in this recipe, simply to achieve this luxurious effect. Note

Sardines are available already butterflied from most fishmongers. Note

This recipe is for lovers of spicy seafood.

Recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Note

Roti is an Indian subcontinent flat bread that is the perfect complement to curries, stews and other saucy dishes.

Naturally sweet strawberries are the star of these healthy pancakes, which are made fluffy and light with low-fat ricotta. Just drizzle with honey for a guilt-free breakfast treat or easy dessert idea.

Traditional to North Africa, a tagine is an aromatic casserole, usually cooked and served in an earthenware dish, also called a tagine.

A popular Moroccan spicy tomato stew - the addition of eggs make this a great breakfast dish to share.

We used wahoo fish for this recipe, but you could use any white fish such as whiting, bream, sole, flounder, dory, perch, snapper or ling. Note

A quick, light and simple salad with an amazing combination of flavours and textures.

Don’t drain the spinach until it’s completely dry, the excess water steams and wilts the spinach during cooking, without having to add extra oil or butter. Note

To save time, buy 400g of shelled uncooked prawns. If you can’t find a kaffir lime leaf, just use 1 teaspoon of finely grated lime rind. Note

It’s a good idea to wear some rubber gloves when preparing beetroot to prevent stained hands. If you don’t feel up to cutting it into strips, try the grater attachment on a food processor or use a box grater. Note

The combination of pork and veal mince gives these meatballs a deliciously rich quality that you won’t get with beef mince. Note

The secret for making perfect roast potatoes? Use olive oil instead of other oils or butter because it tolerates high oven temperatures better and gives a delicious taste to the potatoes.

This is a bright and colourful summery dish with lots of big flavours and great textures.

An exquisite peppered pork dish that can be whipped up for dinner parties in no time.

Ribollita is a Tuscan soup based on whatever vegetable the cook has at hand. Traditionally, it is thickened with stale bread.

A delicious filo pastry pie that will fill the bellies of your entire family (and more!)

This pork and rosemary meatball dish is packed full of Italian flavours, even down to the angel hair pasta.

other ideas: tiny blini or rösti, polenta squares, upturned mushrooms, baby cos or betel leaves, crisped won-ton wrappers or tortilla wedges. Note

You can substitute a white medium-grain rice if koshihikari is unavailable. Note

A rich, slowcooked French casserole with lamb, white beans, streaky bacon and crushed tomatoes.

Eastern and Western cuisines collide in this delicious baked dish of curried pumpkin and lentil crêpes.

An Italian-American dish of chicken breasts, capers, parsley and Marsala wine.

This terrific tortilla combines potato, spinach and mushroom for a tantalisingly soft and fluffy interior that's as satisfying as it is tasty.

These pork, fennel and fig sausage rolls will be the most gourmet snack at the party.

Use any firm fish that’s in season, it’s cheaper that way. Sumac is a type of Middle Eastern spice, now available from supermarkets. The flavour is slightly tart. If you can’t find the spice, cook the fish without it. Note

A French main-dish stew with tender veal and creamy mushrooms from Australian Women's Weekly.

A rich and delicious Moroccan vegetable soup with a spicy hit of harissa.

For a lower-fat version, use no-fat milk and low-fat dairy-free spread instead of the butter. Piroshki are small Russian dumplings that can have various savoury or sweet fillings but this one is among the most traditional. Baked or fried, they make excellent hors d’oeuvres. Note

It is fine to use just 1 x 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Porcini, also known as cèpes, are the richest-flavoured mushrooms. Though expensive, they are so strongly-flavoured only a small amount is required for any particular dish. They are available from specialty food stores and some supermarkets. Pancetta is an Italian salt-cured […]

A healthy and simple mixed vegetable and stir-fried rice dish that can be spiced up with chicken or fish.

Chicken drumettes are drumsticks with the end of the bone chopped off. They are also sold as “lovely legs”. Note

Dip your fingers in cold water when shaping meatballs to keep the raw mixture from sticking to your hands. Note

We used small (15cm/6-inch diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

Porcini, dried Italian mushrooms, are available from delicatessens, gourmet food stores and some supermarkets. Some butchers sell a pork and veal mixture, this is fine to use here. Buy 625g. Note

Delicious and fragrant lamb fillet in chilli and coconut milk from Australian Women's Weekly.

Russet burbank potatoes were used to make this dish, however substituting with Agria or other boiling potatoes is fine. Note