Side

You can use a barbecued chicken for this recipe; however, you will have to cook the rice in a mixture of water and prepared chicken stock instead of the cooking liquid. Like most Thai sauces and dressings, nam jim is extremely hot. Seed the chillies to lessen the heat, if you prefer. Note

Smoked salmon can be used instead of trout, if preferred. Note

Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, these duchesse potatoes are like elegant potato gems.

Kumara dampers are a marriage of old Australia and new, of bush practicality and modern, urban culinary exploration. The pumpkin scone of Modern Australian cuisine.

Use the yellow and lighter green leaves from the heart of the celery. Note

Instead of pure vegetable oil to deep-fry, you can blend it (50/50) with sesame oil. Note

Carrot raita

This is our twist on a caesar salad ­ the addition of potato makes this recipe suitable for a quick dinner or an easy option for lunch at work. For a low-fat version, replace the mayonnaise with skim-milk natural yogurt. The breadcrumbs can be toasted in the oven instead of frying them. Note

Nashi pears and fresh herbs help make this grilled asparagus, fennel and walnut salad a study in contrasting flavours and textures.

You need about 1.3kg fresh peas to get the amount of podded peas required for this recipe. Note

Balsamic Dressing Combine ingredients in screw-top jar, shake well. Note

Loaded with olives, herbs and juicy capsicum, this crunchy salad is easy to whip up and great for a packed lunch.

We used whole-egg mayonnaise in this recipe. Cooling chicken in liquid prevents the chicken from drying out. Note

You need to buy a large barbecued chicken weighing about 900g for this recipe; discard skin and bones, then chop the meat coarsely. You can also use pontiac or sebago potatoes for this recipe. Note

Broccoli, cut into small florets, can be substituted for broccolini if unavailable. Note

This is a hearty wintry recipe, similar to a Lebanese recipe known as mejadra (mujaddara). The lentil and rice mixture could be made ahead and frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat in a microwave oven. You might need to add a little more stock or water to bring the stew to the consistency […]

Chinese barbecued duck is available from Asian grocery stores and specialty barbecued meat shops. Note

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta available from Greek delicatessens and specialty food stores; if unavailable, use risoni. To save time, you can buy roasted capsicum pieces from the deli. Note

It is important to use silken tofu for this recipe to get the right texture. Note

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as cremini or roman mushrooms, are similar in appearance to button mushrooms, but are slightly dark brown in colour. The large variety are often called portobello mushrooms. Note

This bread is best made on day of serving. Note

You can leave the chilli out if you like. Note

Toast sesame seeds in a small frying pan, over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Note

This salad is light, fresh and crisp. It can be very glamorously presented or thrown together in a more rustic style.

A divine starter for a celebratory dinner, these teriyaki salmon skewers with cucumber salad are exquisite. You can alternate salmon chunks with prawns if you like.

With melting, spicy tahini butter, these corn cobs will be the star of your barbecue.

You can use an equal weight of prawns or lobster instead of the crab meat in this salad. Make sure your mango is quite firm, otherwise it will not slice well. Note

These delicious salty bundles are also fantastic with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Note

Sweet mustard dressing gives an extra kick to this warm duck and walnut salad with caramelised apples.

Buttermilk is the crucial ingredient in this olive and rosemary quick bread, a simple and fast way to make your own bread and fill the house with a heavenly smell.

Buy basil pesto, instead of making your own, if liked. Note

We used 3 bananas in this recipe. When baking with a nut roll tin, place it upright in the oven. Nut roll tins are available at selected stores. If unavailable, use a loaf tin instead. These rolls will keep for about three days. Note

Chorizo, a highly seasoned Spanish pork sausage, can be smoked or air-dried, and is as good grilled and eaten on its own as it is used as an ingredient, traditionally in an authentic paella. Note

Fragrant spices, fresh vegetables and bright colours - a summery salad that will do as a meal on its own, or served as a side. Enjoy!

Makes enough for four 200g servings of pan fried chicken breast. If sauce is too tart, add a little more honey. Also goes well with whole roast turkey, duck or chicken. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. Nashi are also known as Asian pears but are now widely cultivated in Australia. They are round in shape with a very juicy, crisp, sweet, white flesh. You can substitute any other variety of pear, if preferred. Note

If you can’t find piquillo peppers, use roasted or grilled capsicum instead. Note

An easy way to tenderise octopus the night before cooking is to tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze. If time is short, bash it with a meat mallet until it is no longer bouncy. Note

Just up your regular mashed potato by adding cheese and spinach for an impressive Christmas side dish

Blood oranges are available in winter, at other times use navel oranges. Note

Herb-flecked and fragrant, this delicious salad makes an excellent lunch or side dish.

This marinade is absolutely delicious served with beef, lamb or pork. Hot potatoes can also be tossed through as a dressing.

This goes well with fish, prawns, pork and chicken. Note

Can be made a day ahead up to step 2, and left covered in the fridge. Note

The crumb mixture can be made several hours ahead; cook zucchini just before serving. If zucchini flowers are not available, substitute small zucchini, quartered lengthways. Note

You can use any seed mix you like with this recipe, poppy and sesame seeds work beautifully too.

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

You can also use bintje or desiree potatoes for this recipe. Note

Throw together this delicious dinner in just minutes with the help of a ready-made roast chook and the punchy flavour of blue cheese.

Prepare the bacon, lettuce and dressing on the morning of the picnic. Assemble the salad at the picnic. The ice cubes will “hold”the colour in the dressing. Note

This dish is absolutely decadent and one for the grown ups. Barely ripe figs are best to use, if overripe, they are likely to fall apart during cooking. If you must, dried figs will do.

This tart will keep well, removed from the tin and covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Serve tart at room temperature This pastry is very easy and good for any savoury tart, but you can also use thawed ready-rolled pastry sheets, joined with a little egg yolk. Note

Fresh broccolini and snow peas with that perfect al dente 'snap' and drizzled with oyster sauce make great sides for fish, chicken and meat cooked with Asian flavours.

Silverbeet, shallots, carrot and mushrooms can be combined several hours ahead. Keep covered in refrigerator. Add dressing and noodles just before serving. Note

If palm sugar is difficult to find, you can use brown sugar instead Note

Like mushrooms, witlof is grown in the dark to retain its pale colour. Sometimes spelled witloof, and in some places known as belgian endive or chicory, this versatile and bittersweet vegetable is as good eaten cooked as it is raw. You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken, weighing approximately 900g, for this recipe. Note

Earthy, autumnal and deeply savoury, this mushroom ragu is excellent served on polenta, pasta, a side for beef or veal or even on thick slices of toasted sourdough.

In Switzerland, this dish is known as raclette and is a staple winter meal traditionally made with Swiss melting cheese.

Plump, sweet blackberries are a gorgeous match with understated pear in this luscious jam.

This goes well with prawns, chicken, fish, beef, stir-fried greens and pork. Note

Cuttlefish or scallops would be an excellent substitute for the squid. Note

Polenta is the bread of northern Italy, particularly around Venice. One of nature's 'good' carbohydrates, it is extremely versatile; for this recipe it can be kept refrigerated and fried just when required.

Roasted pumpkin with bacon and fetta from AWW May 2008

To segment oranges, cut top and bottom from oranges with a small sharp knife. Cut remaining rind and white pith from oranges, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the oranges over a bowl, cut down both sides of the white membrane to release each segment. Squeeze membrane to release any juices into the bowl. […]

Spiced with cinnamon, star anise and red chilli, this homemade plum sauce is a revelation in terms of complexity and depth of flavours. Use as a dipping sauce to spice up braised Asian greens or serve alongside beautifully roasted meats.

There are lots of methods out there for peeling hard-boiled eggs without removing half of the egg with the shell. Our top tip is to crack the egg all over and peel under cold water to help separate the shell membrane from the white.

You'll definitely be wanting plenty of toast soldiers to dip in this freshly cooked soft-boiled egg.

This fragrant stock is the perfect base for your homemade soups, casseroles and curries.

If you segment the oranges over a small bowl, you can use the fresh juice for the orange balsamic dressing on this fresh and tasty kumara and orange salad.