Butterflied chickens are available from specialist chicken and butcher shops. Note

Delicious little French croquettes with a tangy caramelised onions from Australian Women's Weekly.

A light and summery salad with sweet and spicy margarita-infused pork chops.

Tender spiced lamb with a fruity couscous packed full of oranges, dates and walnuts.

This curried beef and lentil dish is simple, spicy and so easy to make.

Canned green peppercorns are the soft, un-ripe peppercorn berry preserved in brine and sold in cans. It has a flavour that’s less pungent than the berry in its other forms. Note

Ask the butcher for a 2-metre (6½-foot) length of unlinked sausages. Alternatively, you can unlink a length of sausages and use short lengths together to form the spiral. If your barbecue doesn’t include a flat plate, cook the capsicum mixture in a heavy-based frying pan on the barbecue. Note

These char-grilled vegetables are healthy, delicious and pack a real spicy punch.

Lebanese bread can be substituted for prepared pizza base. Note

Make your own version of the popular Asian-style satay chicken starter dish to impress your family and friends.

Harissa is a fiery Moroccan sauce or paste made from dried chillies, cumin, garlic, oil and caraway seeds.

Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches that originated in French cafés and are typically made with gruyère.

You can buy butterflied sardines from most good fish markets, or get your fishmonger to butterfly the fish for you. To butterfly your own fish, buy an already gutted fish, slice down the length of the belly until just before the tail, place fish, belly-down, on a chopping board and roll gently with a rolling […]

Delicious little burgers with grilled beef sausages and a crunchy slaw.

Fontina is a smooth, firm Italian cow’s-milk cheese with a creamy, nutty taste and brown or red rind. It is an ideal melting or grilling cheese. You can use swiss, cheddar or gouda cheeses instead. Note

Sweet and sour quail perfectly balanced with a pine nut salad.

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 […]

Dulce de leche is a caramel spread. Vienna almonds are toffee-coated almonds. Note

Gruyère is a hard-rind Swiss cheese with small holes and a nutty, slightly salty, flavour. It is a popular cheese for soufflés as it melts easily. Like a traditional soufflé, this soufflé omelette should be eaten straight away to prevent it sinking. Note

Some commercially prepared curry pastes can vary in heat and flavour. Add less than recommended until you can determine how hot it makes the final dish and to suit your spice level tolerance. In Indonesia, particularly on Java, food is often wrapped in banana leaves before steaming or grilling ­a process called “pepesan”, which gives […]

Tender lamb backstraps with a spiced shiitake mushroom crust and a crunchy Asian salad.

Soak 10 bamboo skewers in cold water for an hour before use to prevent them splintering or scorching during cooking. Note

Roasted zucchini, eggplant and capsicum can be bought loose from delis, making the job even easier. Slice the stick as close to serving time as possible. Note

Fresh, fragrant and flavourful in every mouthful.

Pimp your potato bake with traditional Puttanesca flavours of olives and pancetta.

Cook ½ cup (100g) white short-grain rice for this recipe. Note

Substitute the fresh corn with a 420g (13½-ounce) can of drained corn kernels, if you prefer. Polenta can be prepared a day ahead; store, covered, in the fridge. Note

A classic cheeseburger with caramelised onion, gherkin, tomato and lettuce.

Mizuna, a mild-tasting, crinkled salad leaf, is usually one of the greens found in mesclun, which can also be used in this recipe. Note

An exquisite lunch dish of parmesan polenta with a delicate walnut and capsicum salsa.

Meat & three veg

If you have time, marinate the steaks, covered, for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Note

American-style pork ribs are well-trimmed mid-loin ribs; you will find them at butcher shops and most supermarkets. Note

A quesadilla (from queso, the Spanish word for cheese) is a tortilla “sandwich” containing cheese and any of a wide number of spicy filling ingredients, which is grilled, fried or toasted and usually served with salsa. You need to buy two untrimmed corn cobs (800g) to get the amount of trimmed corn needed for this […]

Aromatic Asian-style ginger tuna with an exquisite wasabi cream.

Soak the skewers in cold water for at least an hour before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking. For optimum flavour, marinate the chicken overnight. Note

Malibu is the brand name of a rum-based coconut liqueur. Note

Warn your guests that the sugar on the pineapple will be extremely hot. Note

If you cannot find banana chillies, use capsicums instead. Note

An exquisite pork dish with lovely colours and a delicious creamy kumara mash.

Create these Greek-style meatballs to make the perfect sharing platter.

Cook steaks to seal until moisture begins to pool on top surface (about 2 minutes). Turn only once. Cook on second side until cooked to taste. Note

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking. Note

If the potatoes that you purchase for this recipe are young and quite small, scrubbing them well (rather than peeling) will be sufficient. Tuna is at its best if browned both sides Note

Peri peri prawn and coleslaw tortillas

This meal has a medium GI. Note

We used corella pears in this recipe. Dijonnaise is a commercial blend of dijon mustard and mayonnaise, available in supermarkets. Note

You can also use ocean trout fillets in this recipe. Cooking times will change slightly for each different kind and thickness of fish you select. Salmon and ocean trout are at their best if slightly underdone. Don’t slice the apples until you are ready to toss the salad with the dressing because the flesh will […]

These fragrant and spicy lamb skewers are great for sharing with friends and family.

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 use either savoy cabbage or wombok (also known as chinese cabbage) in the coleslaw. Stout is a strong tasting dark-coloured beer that goes well with beef. Note

A flavourful dish for barbecues, lunch or dinner.

An light and exquisite breakfast with a smoky and delicious crunch of pancetta.

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

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

You can used store-bought char-grilled capsicum for this recipe, if you like. Note

The great thing about an antipasti selection is that you can add and subtract ingredients. Try incorporating a selection of olives ­ ligurian, sicilian and kalamata are all good, or even a delicious selection of salami. Marinated artichokes are available from specialty delicatessens. Alternatively, use bottled artichokes in oil, available from most supermarkets. Note

A simple grilled chicken dish packed full of big flavours.

It’s easy to make pesto from different herbs or green leaves and with other nuts. A great combination is baby rocket and pistachio (it goes beautifully with chicken). A few other enticing blends include fresh coriander leaves with chilli instead of nuts, or sun-dried tomatoes processed with olives and walnuts. Note

Remember that when you put food onto skewers, not to squash everything together. Leave a little space between each item to allow the heat to circulate and to ensure everything cooks through. If you have time, soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to stop them from burning during cooking, or cover the ends […]

Make your own rosemary and lemon cured beef to sit atop crisp sourdough toasts with sour cream - perfect for a canape or starter at your next dinner party.

Satay sauce is a sauce made from roasted peanuts and is widely used in the cuisines of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and China.

Prepare the mushrooms ready for grilling the day before; keep covered in the fridge. Mushrooms can be grilled up to 30 minutes before serving. Note

This is a classic Japanese dish that is traditionally served cold as a starter.

The frying pan goes under the grill in this recipe, so you need a frying pan with an ovenproof handle, or cover the handle with a few layers of foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. If you don’t have a lid for the frying pan, cover it with foil. Cook the […]

Tender lamb backstraps with a crunchy sesame, chilli and parsley crumb.