Vitello tonnato is a well-known Italian veal dish accompanied with a tuna mayonnaise. It is usually served cold or at room temperature, making the perfect appetiser for a Christmas lunch.

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.

Tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder with a sweet and delicious quince and honey rub.

Aïoli is a garlic mayonnaise; it is available in supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

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

Saltimbocca is a classic Italian dish that literally translates as "jump in the mouth". It is usually made of beef or veal, and rolled with proscuitto and sage leaves.

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

Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Stir in coriander. Note

Spice up your night with this Mexican chilli con carne with guacamole.

Recipe can be prepared 4 hours ahead up to the end of step 4. Note

A quick and easy potato smash with beef and eggplant that is great for the kids.

Serve chicken with dressing. You need a large bunch of spinach weighing about 400g to get the number of large leaves required for this recipe. Note

Cripsy, crunchy and delicious schnitzels crumbed in garlic, sage and lemon.

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

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 your pressure cooker. Note

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

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

You can soak the beans early in the day before you want to serve them, then at night make this recipe; reheat the beans for breakfast the following day. Note

You can crumb chicken up to 24 hours in advance. Place in single layer on tray, cover and refrigerate. Tonkatsu sauce is available from Asian food stores. Note

Crispy and delicious spiced spatchcock with a cooling herb yogurt from Australian Women's Weekly.

This recipe will make about 36 balls. You can also use this stuffing to fill the cavity of a whole turkey or 2 large chickens. Note

Asian-style pork and chicken stir-fry with a wonderfully rich black bean sauce.

Use only the lower white part of the lemon grass stem. Garlic, lemon grass and sweet chilli sauce lend a Thai accent to this recipe Note

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. Frying the herbs in butter, rather than adding them directly to the sauce, gives them extra flavour and keeps them bright green. Recipe not […]

A traditional Sunday dinner dish in the French countryside that literally means, 'chicken in a pot'.

Harissa is a delicious spicy Moroccan paste made from dried red chillies, garlic, oil and caraway seeds.

Not suitable to freeze. If you have one, try using a mandoline to cut the potatoes into paper-thin slices, otherwise, use a very sharp knife. We used a merlot-style wine in this recipe. Note

You could stir some finely chopped and seeded cucumber into the remaining yoghurt. Note

Pork cutlets like you've never seen before with the sweet and smokey flavours of maple, bourbon and pear.

Celeriac is a tuberous root with knobbly brown skin, white flesh and a celerylike flavour. Keep peeled celeriac in acidulated water to stop it discolour ing. In addition to being boiled and mashed, as we have done here, celeriac can be grated and eaten raw in salads; used in soups and stews; or sliced thinly […]

Refried beans are sold, canned, in most supermarkets, as are packaged flour tortillas. Made of pinto beans that are just parboiled then fried with various seasonings, refried beans are also known by their Mexican name of frijoles refritos. You will need to purchase one small iceberg lettuce for this recipe. Note

If you prefer, you can make a mustard sauce for the chicken, replace marsala with dry white wine and stir in 2 teaspoons of whole grain mustard into the finished sauce. Note

Make your roast Mediterranean style with this delicious spiced and zesty rub.

This recipe is cooked in a slow cooker on low over 8 &frac12 hours. Note

Many cooks think pecans are only suitable used in desserts, but they are just as good in salads, stuffings and main courses. They are also great tossed in curry spices then roasted or coated in chocolate or toffee. Studies show that pecans contain the most antioxidants of any nut and about 60 per cent of […]

A member of the onion family, the leek resembles a green onion, but is much larger and more subtle in flavour. Baby or pencil leeks are beautifully tender and can be eaten whole with minimal cooking, but adult leeks are usually trimmed then chopped or sliced and cooked as an ingredient in stews, casseroles and […]

Filling can be made a day ahead. Store, covered, in the fridge. Note

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as roman or cremini, are light-to darkbrown in colour with a full bodied flavour. Store on a tray in a single layer, covered with damp, absorbent paper and keep where cool air can circulate around them. Note

Replace orange with apple or pear slices, if preferred. Pork does not need to be overdone. Cook until just pink in the middle to retain juices. Note

You can use a lamb backstrap instead of cutlets. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side and then slice thickly. If fresh broad beans are in season, you can use them instead of frozen ones. Note

Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for about 30 minutes before use to prevent splintering and scorching during cooking. Note

When peeling parsnips, make sure you remove all the bitter outer layer. Persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and parsley traditionally used either as a garnish or to flavour a sauce, as we have done here. The secret to tender calves liver is to make sure you slice it into paper-thin scallops and then […]

We used cannellini beans but you can use any variety of canned white beans you like. Note

Not suitable to freeze. You can also marinate the lamb in a large resealable plastic bag. Quince paste can be warmed in a microwave-safe jug in a microwave oven. Quince paste is available from delicatessens and most major supermarkets. Note

These sesame and chilli lamb skewers are the perfect starter dish for Asian-styled evenings.

Serve the cutlets with a spoonful of sweet apple sauce, if liked. Note

This deliciously tender piece of lamb is cooked using traditional Spanish flavours, combining salty chorizo and fragrant garlic and thyme to create a memorable dish for a roast dinner or Christmas lunch.

Crispy and delicious pork rack with a sweet apple sage sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Sometimes sold as spring salad mix, mesclun is a commercial assortment of young green leaves, and will usually include some or all of the following: rocket, mizuna, baby spinach, curly endive, oak leaf, radicchio and mignonette. When cooking poultry directly on the barbecue grill, it only needs moderately-hot heat; place food on the edges of […]

You can substitute rib-eye (scotch fillet) or sirloin (new-york cut) steak for the eye fillet in this recipe. Note

You can replace the pork medallions with lean pork fillet. Use a vegetable peeler to slice the carrot lengthways into thin ribbons. The pork can be served warm or cold. Reheat the pork, covered, in a microwave oven on HIGH (100%) for about 1 minute. Note

This delicious herb-marinated pork fillet is perfect enjoyed with a side salad, or some steamed veggies for a quick and tasty family dinner.

A quick, easy and flavour-packed Mexican beef stir-fry from Australian Women's Weekly.

Cook the chicken the night before. Note

Suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

You could also add some coarsely chopped fresh coriander or finely chopped fresh chilli to the corn salsa. Couscous, the North African cereal made from semolina, lends an intriguing crunch to the coating on the chicken. Note

Tasty, simple and spicy little lamb kofta that are great for summer lunches, cocktail parties or as spicy snacks.

This corned beef pot roast takes inspiration from the sweet and fragrant spices of Asian cooking including star anise, cardamom, and soy sauce. Serve with Asian greens for a true fusion experience.

To freeze; complete the recipe to the end of step 3. Pack into freezer-proof containers, leaving a 2.5cm (1 inch) space to allow for expansion. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a large saucepan, then continue from step 4. Note

Ratatouille can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. It is great on its own, or served with pasta. In a Provencale dialect, touiller means to stir and crush, thus the name ratatouille perfectly describes this rich vegetable stew. Note

The beef can be cooked in the oven, if you prefer. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Note

If you’ve ever brunched on yum cha, you’ve probably eaten gai lan and loved it; stir-fried or steamed then splashed with a little sesame oil and oyster sauce. This deliciously crunchy vegetable is the perfect accompaniment to our crisp-skinned chicken. Note