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Perhaps the most famous of Russian soups, borscht can be served in a variety of ways. When the Ukraine was the beet-growing centre of the Russias in centuries past, this soup became a traditional part of the region's daily diet.

This Asian-style sweet corn soup is based on a clear broth made fragrant with fresh ginger and bulked up with ribbons of egg and green onions.

This relish is sweet and tangy with a nice note of ginger. It's perfect for jarring up and handing out as a lovely gift to family and friends. Serve it with cold meats such as ham or pork.

If you're looking to splash out and spoil that special someone, what better way than to prepare this delicious lobster with champagne sauce? The sprinkle of chopped dill adds the perfect finish to this luxurious dish.

Cioppino is an Italian-American fish stew originating in San Francisco's fishing community. It is traditionally made from 'catch of the day' seafood and has become a popular staple at Italian restaurants in the area, and for good reason. It's delicious!

Amaretto, originally from Italy, is an almond-flavoured liqueur and can be purchased from liquor stores. If small panettone are unavailable, cut 7cm rounds from large panettone, brioche or fruit bread.

Topped with crunchy toasted oats, these layered yoghurt and cherry parfaits are a quick, delicious and healthy dessert. You can add a handful of slivered almonds to the toasted oats for extra crunch if you like.

A sugar (candy) thermometer, available from kitchenware stores, is essential for this recipe. Yes, you need to get your timing just right, and making nougat can be a little fiddly, but it's totally worth it for the real deal.

These muesli bars are a particularly high energy food, great for kids on the go. Serve them up as an after school snack, or keep them handy on the weekends to refuel in between sporting commitments.

Veal pizzaiola is, roughly translated, veal served pizza style, in other words topped with a tasty tomato sauce, herbs and, sometimes, cheese. This spicy veal pizzaiola recipe uses veal cutlets rather than the more commonly used schnitzel cuts.

Delicious seafood chowder, rich with all the flavours of the ocean and spiced with hot paprika makes a deeply satisfying lunch dish. Definitely serve with crusty bread to help you wipe the platter clean.

It doesn't get much better than our roasted pork belly with plum sauce. The added aromatics and spices result in a rich and exotic sauce with a depth of flavour you just don't get with a regular gravy. Oh, and crackling. Enough said.

Soupe au pistou is a classic Provençale recipe, usually made with white and green beans, and flavoured with pistou, a French spin-off of its near-neighbour Italy's pesto. Not dissimilar to Italian minestrone, this soup also benefits from being made a day in advance.

Add a touch of India to your week-day fish meal with this masala flavoured dish. Served with green beans and rice, it can be on the table in under 30 minutes. We've used cod here, but any firm white fish will do.

Affogato is a hugely popular Italian dessert that is composed of a small bowl of ice-cream, a shot of espresso and, sometimes, a shot of liqueur. These chocolate and cinnamon affogato shots are our cheeky take on the original.

Get a good portion of your five-a-day along with a healthy dose of protein with this vegetarian Mexican extravaganza. Serve soup with warmed or toasted tortillas and if you like, a dollop of sour cream.

Chive wontons in Asian broth is surely the perfect example of Chinese comfort food. One taste of this soup, and you'll understand precisely why 'wonton' translates, quite literally, to 'swallowing a cloud'.

A well made hollandaise sauce is irresistible, especially when spooned over fresh, barely cooked asparagus. The trick to a prefect sauce is to whisk vigorously and constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

This pasta with smoked salmon is a quick and easy go-to dish when you're after something speedy. Smoked salmon off-cuts are inexpensive and sometimes available from seafood stores, some supermarkets and delicatessens.

These mocha creams are perfect in their simplicity. Beginners in the kitchen can make them with ease and sit back and enjoy the praise. Make sure you serve them in glasses to get the wonderful visual effect.

Panna cotta translates from the Italian as "cooked cream", but this dessert is far more delectable than these simple words. The addition of passionfruit adds a refreshing tropical, tangy flavour. You'll need about 6 for this recipe.

When you are blessed with an over abundance of beautifully ripe and juicy stone fruit, consider taking a culinary trip to the Middle East with this fresh peaches and dates with orange blossom recipe.

This healthy and filling warm beef and rice salad packs a punch with a chilli soy dressing and crisp vegetables. It makes a great lunch, and packs well if you're looking for something to pop in a lunch box.

Bring a burst of colour and light, fresh flavour to your dinner party table with this prawn ravioli and mint and pea puree. There will be some fancy finger work involved but just look at this delightful result.

There is nothing quite like the aroma of this beef and vegetable curry simmering on the stove, except perhaps the satisfaction of having made it yourself from scratch.

The use of scotch fillet steak means that this beef and zucchini curry will be ready in no time. Sprinkle some crushed peanuts on top, together with a generous squeeze of lime and serve with jasmine rice.

Nepalese pork mince curry

A marriage made in heaven, blending hearty prawns and salmon with tomatoes and a brown rice mixture coated in garlic and onion flavour. Great for a dinner party with friends or a wholesome family meal

The taste of summer, all wrapped up.

Make your custard adults-only by giving it a kick with the liqueur of your choice. We've chosen orange flavoured liqueur for this recipe, but brandy, drambuie or even rum would work, too.

This tender, aromatic beef in an Asian broth can be on your dinner table in under half an hour and is packed full of goodness and flavour that the family will love. It's a tasty and easy mid-week meal.

Chocolate fudge sauce is the perfect accompaniment to ice-cream, puddings and poached fruit. Just one taste of our deluxe home made version and we're confident you'll never resort to the bottled stuff again.

Yellow curry is a lighter, less spicy style of curry that gets its colour from the ground turmeric that forms part of the paste. This Thai-style fish and potato version is creamy and mild.

While a classic French brandade is based on salt cod, it can be made with any fish, flaked into a garlicky sauce. We used ling here, and the resultant take on the traditional is not only just as good but easier to prepare too.

Light as air and beautifully frothy, zabaglione is a classic Italian dessert. You can spice up this lovely chocolate zabaglione by adding a teaspoon of orange zest at the end, like a sophisticated jaffa.

Hot and sour soup is one of the gems of Thai cuisine, every mouthful bursts with complex flavours. Hot and sour prawn noodle soup is one of the classic versions of a classic dish.

For such a tasty result, pâté is surprisingly easy to make. Try this chicken and port pâté on polenta crisps next time you have a dinner party gathering. Finished with sour cherries and chervil, they taste delicious.

Every body loves a curry, and while there are some very good quality curry pastes on the market, nothing quite beats the kick and flavour of making your own. It's surprisingly easy.

You can use any combination of dried fruit for this compote and, if you prefer, you can serve it warm with porridge for a healthy and hearty breakfast, or with ice-cream, as a sweet.

Sometimes a dessert, sometimes a beverage, we can all agree that the deliciously rich and fluffy Italian zabaglione is a delight, whatever its form. A touch of marsala gives this version its kick.

Beef vindaloo is a classic curry most famous in India's Goa region. Not for the faint hearted, the chilli packs a particularly spicy punch. To balance the dish, serve with a side of riata and an ice cold beer.

These macadamia and ginger fingers make a lovely gluten-free alternative to cakes and biscuits for morning or afternoon tea. Enjoy as part of your 'elevenses' routine, or treat the kids for their afternoon snack.

Nougat recipes often require candy thermometers and exact cooking temperatures; this cranberry and nut version is much simpler. It also has a pretty stained glass effect and makes a lovely gift.

Mussels are high in protein and low in fat and calories, so you can feel much better about bathing them in this delicious creamy wine infused soup and mopping up every last drop with some crusty bread.

Full of creamy coconut flavour and packed with jewels of the sea, this seafood curry is a celebration of all things tropical. Adjust the chilli for more or less kick, and serve with rice to mop up that delicious sauce.

Homemade ice-cream is swirled with caramel sauce and topped with crushed amaretti biscuits in this impressive, decadent ice-cream cake.

Give your next children's party that authentic movie experience by rolling out the red carpet, dimming the lights, popping on a blockbuster, and serving this delightful assortment of colourful candied popcorn.

Sure it's convenient to buy liquid or cubed beef stock from the supermarket, but nothing quite beats the natural goodness and flavour of the home made version. Freeze in convenient batches to use in sauces and gravies.

You'll know when this lemon and passionfruit marmalade is ready, because when you put a teaspoonful on a very cold plate (put it in the freezer for a few minutes) it will set, or 'jell'. Further boiling will make it thicker.

You could use apricots as well or instead of either fruit for this divine peach and nectarine trifle. As a rule of thumb, just go with whatever is best in season.

Warm apple cake with a lip-smacking brandy butterscotch sauce is a properly indulgent winter dessert. You could substitute whisky for brandy if you prefer. Serve with vanilla ice-cream for the full monty.

This easy lamb curry takes a little time to cook so that those lovely flavours develop sufficiently, but apart from the initial preparation it's pretty much hands off. And not a jar of curry paste in sight.

It's worth the wait.

This coconut rice with capsicum and coriander is a great quick and easy vegetarian meal. Calrose rice is a medium-grain rice that is extremely versatile; you can substitute short or long-grain rice, if necessary.

Our pickled vegetables make a lovely and colourful gift for friends or family. We've used a variety of vegetables here, but you can experiment with your own combinations.

A jar filled with this mango and strawberry jam will make a delightful gift for family and friends. It also tastes delicious, so don't forget to keep a jar or two for yourself

We've given a spin to this classic rending, cooking the lamb slowly until the coconut milk sauce thickens and is quite dry, the succulent meat becomes so tender it virtually falls apart.

Keema is minced meat, usually beef or lamb, and is what is used for samosas. Our subtle yet fragrant version is fairly thick, more like a bolognese sauce than a wet curry, and can also be served as a filling rolled in a wrap.

The secret to our delicious lasagne is the pork and veal mince in the meat sauce, which gives it a balanced and rich flavour. The ricotta in our white sauce gives it an extra creaminess and lusciousness without the guilt.

There are countless versions of dhal, all equally healthy and delicious. Try our warming pumpkin and eggplant version for a hearty meat-free meal. Serve with Indian flatbread to mop up every bite.

This fragrant and fresh yellow fish curry is quick and easy to prepare. Firm, white fleshed fish like ling, blue-eye, trevally, coral trout, red emperor and mahi mahi have the perfect texture for this kind of recipe.

Home made baked beans, with bacon, sausages and eggs really is the full monty when it comes to a great breakfast. Toast a couple of slices of good bread, brew a cup of your favourite joe and you're set for the day.

All you need is a little patience and a good blender and you could be delighting your dinner guests with this raspberry sorbet. You can experiment with all kinds of berries and fruit, but we love the glorious colour.

These frozen chocolate tiramisu bars are dead easy and terrifically impressive. Just a few moments worth of effort topped with a little sprinkle of cocoa and you'll have a grown up dessert that will satisfy the most discerning of tastes.

Spiced with ginger, lemongrass, chillies and fish sauce, this Asian-style prawn soup is hot, savoury and delicious. Full of noodles, it makes a great weekend lunch dish, or a light dinner.

This tomato and capsicum soup will have you wondering why you ever bothered with the tinned stuff. The addition of the beans and the chilli give a hearty and spicy kick. Enjoy with fresh crusty bread.

The beauty of homemade jams are that you can adjust the sweetness to your taste. The addition of the mandarin to this recipe adds a lovely citrus flavour. The jam will be ready when a teaspoon-full 'jells' when placed on a cold plate.

There can be few things as comforting or nutritious as a warming bowl of porridge. Here, we've teamed up the humble oat with this delicious fruit compote to give you a breakfast that will set you up for the day.

Combine this tender beef fillet with a delicious red wine sauce and a generous serving of mashed kumara for a slightly different take on the a traditional beef and vegetable fare. You'll be glad you did.

This deliciously green soup is full of complex flavours, the sweetness of green peas, peppery rocket and the iron-green of spinach, all topped off with mustardy grilled brie croûtes.

These brandied prunes combined with cream cheese and chocolate make for such a decadent and boozy mouthful you won't be able to stop at just one. Enjoy with family and friends, if you can bare to share.

A light and sweet Thai-style beef curry with tender chunks of beef cooked in a tamarind, lime and chilli spiced coconut curry. Serve on a bed of steamed rice to soak up all the delicious sauce.

A fragrant broth with steamed dumplings, mushrooms and cabbage, this soup is comfort food at its tastiest.

When dissolved gelatine is added to a mixture, both should be roughly the same temperature. Note

This rich and hearty soup can be whipped up in about half an hour. Evaporated milk (not to be confused with condensed milk) is canned unsweetened milk from which some of the water has been evaporated.

Brown lentils can be substituted for the puy lentils, although they do require longer cooking. Note

It is fine to use just one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

Works well with pancakes, over waffles or as a fondue. Note

These simple white cakes make an elegant wedding cake for an all-white wedding.

Well, this is one way to increase the kids' fruit intake! Be warned, these caramelised apples are dangerously delicious.

Traditional and tasty Thai-style pumpkin and chicken soup from Australian Women's Weekly.

This dry, fragrant Nepalese curry, traditionally served with steamed rice and lime wedges, is one of this remote Himalayan country's most popular meat dishes.

Warm, hearty and creamy, this potato and bacon soup is packed full of delicious ingredients to create the ultimate comfort food - perfect for Winter evenings.

The humble and misunderstood cabbage is put to good use with these Japanese inspired cabbage rolls. Dunk them generously in the dipping sauce and experience the uniquely and delicately flavoured pork filling.

Pears accompany pork just as perfectly as apples. The flesh of the fruit softens and sweetens the meat.

The ultimate comfort food, this cauliflower cheese has a crunchy cheese and herb topping.

Apple is a traditional pairing for roast pork, adding raspberry just intensifies the delicious pairing of tender meat and applesauce. Serve with vinegary cabbage and potatoes.

This chutney is an excellent accompaniment to cheese or cold meats, and is also delicious served with a curry.