Crush juniper berries with the side of heavy knife. Juniper berries, best known for the flavour they impart to gin, are a dark blue, almost black, soft, aromatic berry used in many traditional European recipes. Note

Some people find the bitterness of radicchio a little overpowering. Try brushing each whole radicchio with oil and grill or barbecue until the outside leaves are charred and the inside is tender. This will give a sweeter smokey flavour. Slices of mango or paw paw make a nice addition to this salad. Note

You can make the prawn mixture a day ahead. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Assemble sandwiches on the day and store, covered with damp absorbent paper, in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to go. 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

Soba are fresh or dried Japanese noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour. They’re available from Asian food stores and major supermarkets. Note

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

Choose freestone peaches as it will be easier to remove the seeds. Note

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

These caramels are easy to make for a school fête and gorgeous to serve with after-dinner coffee. Note

As a rule, when steaming, the water should never touch the food. While a tight-fitting lid will keep most of the water in the pan or wok, if you’re steaming for long periods of time, it’s not a bad idea to check occasionally, that the water has not totally evaporated. Note

Kecap (ketjap) manis, a thick sweet soy sauce of Indonesian origin, is available at many supermarkets and Asian food stores. Note

You need to cook 1 cup (200g) rice for this recipe. Or, use two 250g sachets of pre-cooked jasmine rice. Nasi goreng seasoning is a spice paste found in sachets in the Asian food section of supermarkets. Note

. Note

Desiree, bintje or russet burbank potatoes are all good choices for this recipe. Note

We used 16cm-round corn tortillas, which are packaged in cryovac. Unused tortillas can be frozen in freezer bags for up to three weeks. You can also soften tortillas by wrapping them in foil and heating them in a moderate oven for about 5 minutes or until hot. Note

We removed the roe from the scallops, but it can be left intact, if you prefer. Note

A fragrant and delicious spiced lentil side dish from Australian Women's Weekly.

To save time, buy shelled and deveined prawns and calamari rings from your local fish supplier. Some major supermarkets also have a fresh seafood section. Note

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

Sumac is a purple-red, astringent spice ground from berries growing on shrubs that flourish wild around the Mediterranean, it adds a tart, lemony flavour to dishes. It can be found in Middle-Eastern food stores and most major supermarkets. Note

Theses healthy lemon ricotta pancakes skip the sugar and instead are topping with zesty mandarin pieces and a drizzle of honey for a clean, simple breakfast pancake dish. The right way to start your day.

The metal will conduct heat through the centre of the potatoes, helping them to cook faster. Note

You will need about 7 lemons for this recipe. Note

A classic Italian pasta dish with spaghetti alla napoletana sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Before starting the recipe, boil the kettle so you have boiling water ready to prepare the noodles. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml), bake about 25 minutes. Note

Light and crunchy Asian greens salad with a flavourful sesame and ginger dressing.

This mixture will make 2 cups of mousse. Divide mousse among small glasses for serving ­40ml shot glasses will give you about 12 delicious mini servings. Note

Derived from an Italian word meaning `garden’, giardiniera is an Italian dish of pickled vegetables. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

This fresh spring frittata combines frozen broad beans and peas with ricotta to create an easy dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes. It's just as good served up for lunch the next day.

Make sure you cut all your vegies into similar size pieces. This ensures that they all cook at the same rate. If you cut your vegetables on the diagonal, it not only improves the attractiveness of the dish, it maximises their exposure to the heat. You could use chicken, beef or seafood in this recipe […]

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

As the sauce is heated, the alcohol can ignite. It generally burns off in a matter of seconds, but shaking the pan will extinguish the flame. Keep a lid nearby, exercise caution and don’t use your exhaust fan when making this sauce. Note

These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! 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.

Make your own marinated artichoke hearts to add to salads, your next share platter, or even give as a thoughtful gift.

An exquisite salad with slices of tender pork and sticky caramelised apple.

Vietnamese mint is not actually mint, but a pungent and peppery narrow-leafed member of the buckwheat family. Also known as laksa leaf and cambodian mint, it is available from Asian greengrocers. Any white fish cutlets are suitable for this recipe. Note

Mad about marmalade? Then, this muffin is for you. Marmalades come in a range of flavours sweet through to bitter and everything in between. Try a bitter marmalade first, it teams so well with the almonds and the sweetness of the syrup. Note

Old-fashioned cast gem irons are available from specialty cookware shops or second-hand shops. Note

The classic reuben was always assembled then cooked in a frying pan. Making one in your sandwich press not only saves on washing up but keeps it slightly healthier because the bread doesn’t have to be buttered on the outside as for pan-frying. Plus, the cheese melts inside the sandwich without oozing out into the […]

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

A light and healthy salad that is full of bright colours and big flavours.