Roast

Roasting makes both the parsnip and garlic wonderfully sweet and mellow. When preparing the parsnips, be sure to peel thickly enough to remove all the bitter outer layer, and also to cut off any woody core. Note

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

If taking this meal to work, roast tomato and prosciutto the night before; store in the fridge. Reheat in a microwave oven, on HIGH (100%), about 1 minute or until heated through. Toast the bread and assemble just before serving. Note

To tell if a peach is ripe, look around the stem of the peach, the absence of green skin plus a strong peach aroma indicates ripeness. If the skin is slightly green, it is not ripe. If peach stones are difficult to remove, leave them during roasting, they will come out more easily after cooking. […]

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

Roast the tomatoes in a baking dish with deep sides; this shields them from the heat so they won’t burn. Note

A deep purple-red spice ground from berries grown on a Mediterranean coastal shrub, sumac adds an astringent flavour to both raw and cooked food. It suits poultry, meat and fish as well as it does a salad. Its piquancy was long only associated with Middle Eastern foods, but these days it is used in many […]

Salted cod, also called salt cod, baccala, bacalhau, bacalao and morue, is available from Italian, Spanish and Portuguese delicatessens and some specialty food stores. Note

We used whole pink snapper in this recipe, but you can use any whole white fish. Note

Pork neck is a moist, tasty cut which pot-roasts really well. This is an easy way to cook; make sure the pan you use has a heavy base for even cooking and a tight-fitting lid. Note

Thai basil, also known as horapa, is available from greengrocers and Asian supermarkets. To freeze; pack into freezerproof containers, leaving a 2.5cm space to allow for expansion. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave on medium power (50%) until heated through. Note

Preserved lemon can be bought in delis and some supermarkets. Remove and discard the flesh then wash and dry the rind before chopping. Note

Bread can be toasted 2 hours ahead; store in an airtight container. Pumpkin can be cooked 1 hour ahead. Note

You could also use coliban or sebago potatoes for this recipe. Note

Ask your butcher to score the rind, 1cm apart, across the pork in the same direction as you will slice, to make carving easier. Note

Slow cooker: suitable to the end of step 2. Pressure cooker: suitable to the end of step 2. Not suitable to freeze. Note

Ground lemon myrtle is available from specialist spice shops and some gourmet food stores. Lemon myrtle is a small tree that grows in sub-tropical and tropical rainforest areas of Queensland. Ground lemon myrtle is a ground mixture of the dried leaf and flower; it has a strong lemon flavour. If you can’t find it, use […]

We don’t recommend that you freeze cooked vegetables as they tend to have a spongy texture and “leftover” look about them once they’ve been thawed. Mushrooms, eggplant and members of the squash family are especially freezer unfriendly. Note

Stand the beef at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Salsa can be prepared a day ahead, keep, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

You need two oranges for this recipe – one for the salad and one for the juice. You can substitute fresh baby beetroot with canned baby beets, or the chicken with pork fillet or salmon, if you like. Note

A green and healthy turkey salad with a tangy lemon mustard dressing.

Garlic is easy to roast and has a more mellow taste than it does raw or fried. Make it and freeze it by the tablespoon wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Roasted garlic beaten with softened butter adds a whole new dimension of flavour to mashed potato or steamed corn cobs. Note