Midweek dinner

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

Substitute watercress and tatsoi leaves for baby spinach and mizuna, if preferred. Note

A light salad that packs a flavourful punch through the roquefort cheese and dijon dressing.

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

Quick, easy and full of flavour - this is a great Asian stir-fry for busy midweek dinners.

Replace pork with sliced chicken breast or beef rump steak. You can use basil if thai basil is out of season or you could replace the basil with coriander. Broccolini can be swapped with baby corn, if you like. Note

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

M'hanncha, a Moroccan almond pastry, means `the snake' and this coiled sweet pastry treat certainly represents that.

Farfalle is a short, rather sturdy butterfly-shaped pasta that is also known as “bow-ties”. It is good for a dish such as this because the folds and crinkles of each piece help capture the pesto and hold the other ingredients. Replace the farfalle with penne or small shells if you wish. 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.

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

We’ve used brown long-grain rice in this recipe because of its lovely nutty taste, but you can replace it with white long-grain rice if you wish. You need to cook about 1⅓ cups rice for this recipe. Note

The secret to this recipe is the amount of olive oil used. Perfect as a second course or as the main course for a light summer lunch, served with salad and crusty bread or with chips (frites). The moules in France are small and sweet. This recipe is not suitable for those large green New […]

With the help of a pressure cooker, make these exquisitely spiced and flavoured Greek lamb shanks in no time.

Makes enough for four 150g servings of panfried veal scaloppine. Also goes well with grilled chicken breast fillets, barbecued pork medallions, roasted lamb cutlets. Marsala, a caramel-flavoured fortified wine, is named after the city from which it comes, and is the most popular dessert wine in Italy. Dry marsala is often served as an apéritif. […]

We used blue-eye trevalla fillets in this recipe. Note

A sweet, rich and delicious spiced pork dish from Australian Women's Weekly.

A delicious and filling chickpea, watercress and capsicum salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Piri piri sauce is a spicy Afro-Portuguese chilli sauce available from Middle-Eastern food stores and most major supermarkets. Note

Stories vary on the true origin of the margherita pizza - but at least we can all agree that when it comes to pizza, nothing beats a classic.

A subtle and delicately flavoured rabbit stew with potato and sage that will melt in your mouth.

If you can’t buy char-grilled zucchini, you can make your own; use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to thinly slice one large zucchini lengthways, then cook the slices on a heated oiled grill plate until browned lightly and tender. Pizza bases can be bought at any regular supermarkets. Note

Juniper berries are the dried fruit of the juniper shrub, an evergreen from the Northern Hemisphere, and are found in specialty herb or health food shops. Note

A sweet, zesty and crispy Thai dish that literally means 'crunchy noodles'.

Suitable to freeze at the end of step 2. 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 […]

Not suitable to freeze. Note

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

A simple grilled chicken dish packed full of big flavours.

Try using a variety of mushrooms such as flat, cup, button, portobello, oyster and enoki, keeping small mushrooms halved or whole and large types sliced. Cooking the potatoes whole with the peel on keeps the potatoes dry and fluffy-doing this helps to create lightly textured pillows of gnocchi. Note

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.

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.

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

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

Any similar-sized pasta shape such as casarecce, rigatoni or penne would be suitable for this dish. 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

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Get the milk and yogurt ready before tasting this hot and delicious Indian pork vindaloo.

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

A healthy and rich vegetable dish with smoky baked beans and tomato from Australian Women's Weekly.

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 […]

Moroccan-style couscous spiced with harissa; a great side served with saucy meat dishes.

A healthy and filling Mexican vegetarian dish with a rich and delicious spiced tomato and avocado salsa.

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

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

Sichuan is a province in southwest China known for its abundant use of chilli and eye-wateringly fiery dishes.

Quick and easy-to-make crispy roast potatoes with paprika aïoli from Australian Women's Weekly.

A modern take on the traditional French method of cooking “en papillote” (in sealed paper packets), this recipe uses aluminium foil rather than parchment to enclose the ingredients. Cooking this way intensifies the contained flavours. Note

A light and summery Moroccan-style beef salad packed full of apricots, sultanas, pine nuts, mint and dill.

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

Pies can be cooked one day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Reheat pies in a single layer on oven trays, covered loosely with foil, in oven (180°C/160°C fan-forced) for about 10 minutes. Uncooked pies can be frozen between layers of freezer wrap for up to three months; thaw in refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight […]

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

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.

Tortiglioni, a straight tubular pasta with grooves on the exterior, works well when baked with a chunky sauce, such as this one.

Create delicious Italian pasta at home with this beautiful ricotta and silverbeet gnocchi. Served in a fragrant tomato sauce, it's the ultimate comfort food for a cool evening in.

A crispy and delicious mashed potato casserole is the perfect accompaniment to roast dinners.

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

If preferred, use boned lamb leg or shoulder. Make salad just before serving and drizzle with a little red-wine vinegar. Note

An exquisite and wholesome smoked chicken, radicchio and basil salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

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

Crispy, crunchy and golden minted tuna triangles that are perfect for sharing with friends at the bach.