This olive oil and garlic mashed potato is smooth, buttery and deliciously garlicky. If you prefer a milder, sweeter garlic flavour, you can add the cloves, uncrushed, to the water while the potatoes boil and then mash it all together.

This light and tasty Spanish pan tortilla is wonderfully fluffy and packed full of tender potato pieces. Serve it with a fresh side salad for a no-fuss family dinner.

There's nothing more satisfying or delicious than a perfectly roasted potato. The key to achieving that sought after crispy exterior with a fluffy inside lies in making sure the potatoes are really dry before placing them in the oven.

These crispy savoury pancakes make a delicious afternoon snack or side to your favourite Asian dishes.

Honey cider dressing adds a real splash to this tasty goat's cheese, fig and prosciutto salad. Baby rocket leaves make the perfect peppery base.

Maple syrup brings out the natural sweetness of baby carrots while a touch of zesty orange intensifies their flavour. Orange is a great companion flavour for carrots, and a quick squeeze will lift most carrot-based recipes.

Roasting really intensifies the flavour of tomatoes, so one of the delights of this roasted tomato salad is actually being able to taste the subtle differences between different varieties of tomato.

This quick and tasty vegetarian couscous dish is packed full of flavour and the goodness of roasted pumpkin and Middle Eastern spices.

To add real zing to a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes, there's nothing like adding a handful of freshly-grated parmesan cheese. The better the cheese, the better the mash will be. In a pinch, you can use ready flaked parmesan from a packet, but the ready-grated stuff doesn't really cut the mustard here.

Piquant tomato vinaigrette makes a wonderful dressing for tender steamed asparagus spears. Serve as a starter, or as a side dish for a meat, chicken or fish main.

The very best thing to serve with cheese, these oat biscuits are earthy, crumbly and just the right side of sweet. If you like, you can replace 60gm of the flour with unprocessed bran.

The contrast between soft, silken tofu and crispy fried noodles is just one of the things that makes mee krob so utterly moreish. Good thing it's good for you too!

Crisp, aniseedy fennel and earthy brown lentils are fabulous combined with sweet beetroot and peppery rocket.

Fresh ginger dressing really brings this prawn and avocado salad to life. Perfect for a light lunch on the deck with friends, served with crusty bread and dry white wine.

Bread sauce is a classic English accompaniment to roast chicken or beef dishes.

A fragrant and bright Moroccan salad with crisp carrots and an orange flower water dressing.

Creamy, garlicky tzatziki is fabulous served with roast lamb or on kebabs, but also as a dip with a pile of crisp, freshly cut vegetables, crackers or twists.

Romesco sauce is a Catalonian delicacy, a rich, thick and spicy sauce that is simply perfect paired with grilled leeks and green onions.

Nutty parmesan is the perfect accompaniment to fresh, crisp sliced fennel.

This fresh and tasty seafood dish is perfect for a Summer lunch or dinner with family and friends.

Crunch through these crisp wonton wrappers to the juicy duck filling inside. A classic Chinese dish, these duck wonton cups are perfect for a light lunch or entree.

Sweet, juicy baby carrots are roasted in a garlic glaze to create this beautiful side dish, the perfect accompaniment to roast lamb or chicken.

Really, you can add any mushroom you like to this dish, and all mushroom lovers will have a favourite or three they can't go past. Mixed garlic mushrooms is an earthy, garlicky dish to savour.

Three fabulous greens in one dish, this buttery, herby dish of leeks, zucchini and asparagus is an ideal side dish for almost any meat-based main.

This capsicum, fennel and red onion salad is delicious served warm as a side dish with a roast joint of meat. If you prefer capsicum skinned prior to cooking, just hold over a gas flame, using tongs, until the skin blackens, allow to cool and slide off.

The pine nuts are chopped so they will cling to the beans rather than fall to the base of the dish. Note

A quick, easy and exciting twist on asparagus that works as a side dish, a buffet dish or barbecue platter.

Also known as Risotto Milanese, this classic risotto is traditionally served with Osso Buco but makes also a great simple dinner on its own.

Bruschetta is one of those classic dishes that's welcome at just about any meal, from a late breakfast to a late night snack. This garlicky goat's cheese version is a creamy, tasty winner.

Essentially a simple spicy pilaf, green rice is a great side dish for any number of mains, but especially good with Asian-style crispy-skinned chicken and Cajun-spiced fish.

This simple little bitter lettuce salad is the perfect side dish to serve with rich stews and pies.

Asparagus and baby beans just dripping with garlic butter make a fabulous green side for just about any meal.

Tasty chunks of roasted pumpkin make this couscous dish hearty enough to serve as a main at lunch, or as a light dinner.

Rich, creamy and sweet, this classic custard recipe is the perfect accompaniment to many pies, cakes and desserts.

A quick, simple and delectable rocket salad that's the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Peppery rocket needs very little added excitement, just a little red onion and a classic vinaigrette.

Deliciously creamy and packed full of the goodness of yellow split peas, this tasty dip is perfect enjoyed with veggie sticks or cracker as a afternoon snack or starter.

Packed with spicy vegetables, juicy chicken and seasoning, whip up this salad in fifteen minutes.

Smoked chicken lends its unique taste to this crisp pear and radicchio salad with a red wine vinaigrette. If the flavour of smoked chicken isn't a favourite, use a store-bought barbecue chicken in its place.

Enjoy this cheeky adult's only fruit dish on it's own with ice-cream or cream, or drizzled atop a slice of cake. These beautiful vodka soaked cherries last indefinitely and make a perfect Christmas gift.

Sea salt, garlic and rosemary bring out the natural flavours of roast pumpkin and potatoes in this perfect, roast dinner side-dish.

Can be made two weeks ahead; keep refrigerated. Note

The delicate flavour of tarragon is beautiful paired with the bitter leaves of a mixed mesclun salad.

It's actually quite easy to skin whole hazelnuts. Just roast in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes, then wrap in a tea-towel for one minute for the steam to loosen the skins, rub inside the towel to remove skins and then cool.

Simple, smooth and creamy, buttery mashed celeriac is a fabulous side dish, either in place of or as well as mashed potato.

Smooth and smoky roasted eggplant dip, also known as melitzanosalata, is delicious served as part of a Greek platter.

Couscous makes a perfect, fluffy base for the strong flavours of tomato and rocket. Add the dressing and herbs with as heavy a hand as suits your palate, the grains will soak it all up.

Delicate shreds of lettuce tossed with spring onion and a zingy red wine dressing make this deceptively simple spring salad a mouthwatering side dish.

These classic red dyed eggs are traditionally enjoyed at Greek Orthodox Easter.

You can add a small fresh chilli to each jar if you like your oven-dried tomatoes spicy. Egg tomatoes are perfect for this recipe as they don't have many seeds, but you can use any variety just make sure you choose ripe unblemished tomatoes.

A beautiful side dish for a Mediterranean dinner spread, these garlic and herb roasted tomatoes are wonderfully sweet and juicy.

Tamarind concentrate is the 'sour' in this hot, sweet and sour vegetables recipe. Made from the fruit of the tamarind tree, the concentrate is sour, tangy and fruity all at once.

Fluffy, fragrant and full of spices, this beautiful yellow coconut rice goes beautifully alongside traditional Indian curries.

A saucy, spiced Cantonese vegetable mix designed to be served on top of poached or steamed snapper, grilled white fish fillets or poached chicken breasts.

Make a delicious pie base and crust with this parmesan cheese spiked short crust pastry recipe. You can leave the cheese out if you prefer, and even replace it with sugar for a sweet dish.

Hot-smoked trout is exactly what it sounds like, trout that has been cured in a hot smoker, a method that is used to preserve fish, meat, cheese and nuts while bestowing a distinctive flavour of wood-smoke.

This is the easiest way to make rice without a rice cooker. And, it's one of the basic recipes all households should know!

Deliciously fragrant and spicy, this Thai-style red curry paste is the perfect base for many savoury Asian dishes.

This herbaceous and light Thai chicken and lychee salad is a study in contrasts, of both flavour and texture; tender and crisp, sweet and spicy, it's got it all.

Home-made potato wedges are so easy, and so yummy, that there's really no point in buying the frozen kind. If you want to up the ante, serve them tossed in sea salt, lemon zest, pepper and a little lemon juice.

Deep-fried crisps make the perfect party snack.

Queso anejo and poblano chillies bring an authentic Mexican flavour to this gourmet guacamole. If you can't lay your hands on any queso anejo, you can use parmesan and other similar cheeses in its place.

This potato bake is brought to life with a shake or three of piri-piri, a hot Portuguese sauce made of chilli, garlic, ginger, oil and herbs that is available from supermarkets. You can also use pontiac potatoes for this recipe.

Just as yummy as a pumpkin scone, and more useful for breakfast on the go or lunch-boxes. A delicious variation to this rosemary pumpkin bread is to add 100g crumbled soft goat cheese or crumbled soft blue cheese to the pumpkin mixture.

There's nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread, except for the taste. Bring the restaurant to your home with freshly baked dinner rolls.

Smooth, sweet and glossy, here is a recipe for royal icing that you can use on your cakes, cupcakes and desserts.

If you fancy trying something a bit out of the ordinary, this Tahitian fish salad is simple to make and absolutely bursting with flavour. It makes a colourful and delicious lunch.

The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this delicious candied orange peel recipe can be included in desserts, cakes and savoury dishes like tagines.

The perfect combination of sweet and zesty, this shimmering marmalade is beautiful spread on toast for breakfast or given as gifts to loved ones.

Warm your body and soul with this beautiful chicken and vegetable soup - perfect for family dinners on those cooler evenings.

This method for boiling eggs will centre the yolk and is used for recipes which require presentation such as salads.

Gyoza are Japanese dumplings, usually pork but sometimes vegetable, that are steamed and then fried, before being dunked in sauce, in this case our delicious soy vinegar sauce.

Spicy pickled onions, packed with chillies, cloves and ginger, make the perfect accompaniment to a classic ploughman's lunch.

You can use feta or any soft, crumbly cheese instead of the goat cheese, and toasted pecan halves make a nice change from walnuts. This roasted capsicum pasta salad makes a great lunch-box meal too.

Savoury and deeply satisfying, this vegetable curry is great as part of a banquet or as a meal on its own.

A traditional, German rye bread, pumpernickel has a strong flavour and unique texture. Most often served here in tiny squares as a canape base, freshly made pumpernickel is softer and can be used for open sandwiches or served with soup.

Chicken liver pate can be served on toast or biscuits, with drinks or, set in small individual containers, it is a perfect first course for a dinner party.

Corn or vegetable oil can be used instead of the peanut oil. Note

You will need a piece of pumpkin weighing approximately 750g for this recipe; we used butternut, but you can use whatever pumpkin variety you like. Note

Buk choy and gai lan can also be cooked this way. Note

Use your favourite mountain bread variety or pita (lebanese) bread for this recipe. Note

This goes well with prawns, chicken and pork. Note

These maple-glazed vegetables are the perfect accompaniment to any roast dinner.

Merguez sausages, from North Africa, are traditionally made with lamb and seasoned with garlic and hot spices. They can be found at most delicatessens and sausage specialists. Golden beetroots have a slightly sweeter flavour than the purple-red variety and can be found at most greengrocers. When trimming the beetroots, leave a little of the stalk […]

A simple and versatile Spanish-style roasted capsicum sauce.