Workday lunches

Crispy pork belly and nashi salad with a plum and five-spice dressing from Australian Women's Weekly.

Dressing can be made 1 day ahead; chill, covered. Recipe can be 3 days ahead up to step 3; store in airtight container. Note

This recipe is inspired by the Russian passion for kasha, cooked grains such as buckwheat, millet or oats. Buckwheat kernels or groats are available from health-food stores. Note

Asian-style stir-fried beef with thin hokkien noodles from Australian Women's Weekly.

You'll never have plain old mashed potato again after this delicious bacon and cheesy potato bake.

You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken weighing about 900g for this recipe. Note

Rollmops are herring fillets wrapped around a slice of gherkin, red capsium and/or onion preserved in a spiced vinegar brine. Note

We used cryovac-packed ready-to-serve sweet chilli tofu, available from many supermarkets and Asian food stores. Note

A classic hearty chicken stew that originated in southern Louisiana.

Delicious and warming garlic chicken stir-fry with buk choy from Australian Women's Weekly.

Crispy and delicious pork rack with a sweet apple sage sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Warm sabayon must be served immediately. Note

Sometimes sold as spring salad mix, mesclun is a commercial assortment of young green leaves, and will usually include some or all of the following: rocket, mizuna, baby spinach, curly endive, oak leaf, radicchio and mignonette. When cooking poultry directly on the barbecue grill, it only needs moderately-hot heat; place food on the edges of […]

You could buy 4 x 75g salmon fillets instead of the larger fillet. The yellow beans add some colour to the dish; if unavailable use green beans. Note

The black beans used in this recipe are also known as turtle beans, and are Cuban and Latin American rather than Chinese in origin. Jet black with a tiny white eye, black beans can be found in most greengrocers and delicatessens. Note

Spicy vegetable and lentil salad packed full of char-grilled capsicum, carrot, pumpkin and red onion.

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 […]

Use any rice you like for this recipe, just make sure it’s cooked properly so every grain is separate. You could use about 3½ cups of cold leftover rice if you happen to have it, if not cook, rinse and drain the rice the day before the picnic. Keep the rice in the fridge. Assemble […]

Deliciously tender pork, fennel and olive ragout that can be done in a pressure cooker in no time.

You will need about 1⅓ cups (265g) of uncooked rice for this recipe. Note

If kipfler potatoes are unavailable you can use baby new potatoes. You could also use aïoli, a garlic mayonnaise, instead of plain mayonnaise, and lemon juice instead of warm water to jazz this salad up. Note

You can buy the roast beef, already cooked and sliced, from any deli. Make the coleslaw the night before, and make the sandwich at lunch time the next day. Use whatever cabbage you like; we used red cabbage, but try the chinese variety (wombok), it’s easy to shred finely. Note

You need 12 skewers; if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water 1 hour before use to prevent splintering or scorching. Note

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

Sumac is a purple-red, astringent spice ground from berries growing on shrubs around the Mediterranean; it has a tart, lemony flavour. It can be found in Middle-Eastern food stores and major supermarkets. Note

Cool the quiches before packing into airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. They are not suitable to freeze. You need four 10cm (4-inch) spring-form tins for this recipe. Note

This Asian-style sesame noodle salad is sticky, sweet and utterly delicious.

A rich and creamy red Thai-style curry from Australian Women's Weekly.

Adding avocado to this open sandwich not only adds a rich creamy flavour, it also increases its nutritional value. Avocados are a rich source of potassium and healthy monounsaturated fats that help to lower cholesterol. Use a loaf of ciabatta bread if turkish bread is not available. Note

A rich, fragrant and warming slow-cooked lamb and eggplant curry that will melt in your mouth.

As easy as raita is to make, if you are in a hurry you can cheat and buy tzatziki, which is the Greek eqivalent of the Indian raita. Note

A quick, easy and flavour-packed Mexican beef stir-fry from Australian Women's Weekly.

Coulibiac is a Russian fish pie stuffed with spinach, rice and brown mushrooms.

Cook the chicken the night before. Note

Suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

Velouté, a white sauce made from roux (a cooked butter and flour mixture) and stock, is one of the five “mother” sauces in French cooking from which all other sauces are derived. Note

The same amount of ingredients used to top a 30cm pizza will top four mini pizza bases. Note

With a name that loosely translates as "top of the shelf", ras el hanout is a Moroccan blend of the best a spice merchant has to offer.

This rocket and blue cheese salad is packed full of big flavours and will be an instant favourite.

Tasty, simple and spicy little lamb kofta that are great for summer lunches, cocktail parties or as spicy snacks.

Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad. As a variation, cut the soft white centre of the bread into small cubes, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil; toss until well coated. Place the bread cubes on an oven tray, sprinkle on 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan and toast in a moderate oven for about 10 […]

For a vegetarian option, add extra beans in place of the chicken. You need to cook ⅓ cup (65g) raw rice to get the amount of cooked rice used here. You could also use the microwave rice now available in most supermarkets. Note

This corned beef pot roast takes inspiration from the sweet and fragrant spices of Asian cooking including star anise, cardamom, and soy sauce. Serve with Asian greens for a true fusion experience.

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

Pickling spice is a mixture of mustard seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, allspice and bay leaves. It is available from the spice section in most supermarkets. Note

A light and healthy Indian-style breakfast dish that packs a real flavour punch.

Chickpea flour (besan) is available from the health food aisle of supermarkets or health food stores. Note

An exquisite, slowcooked Greek-style dish with dill and lemon lamb shoulder.

Pepitas, dried pumpkin seeds, are available hulled or unhulled, raw or roasted. Most people here usually eat them as a snack or in a homemade muesli, but in many other countries they are commonly ground into meal for use as a sauce thickener. Note

With the help of a pressure cooker, this Mexican dish of tender chicken & chorizo sausages with kidney beans can be whipped up in no time.

A delicious traditional treat.

Late morning is a good time to serve this country breakfast, skipping lunch and going for a long afternoon walk before dinner.

Line quiche pans one at a time. Keep the remaining pastry sheet covered with a damp clean tea towel, to stop it drying out while lining the first quiche pan. Note

Bean thread vermicelli is called win sen in Thailand and fun si in China. While it resembles rice vermicelli in appearance, it is tougher and can be quite hard. Soak the vermicelli only long enough to soften otherwise it will become stodgy or start to fragment. This is also a good vermicelli to deep-fry to […]

A bright and summery salad packed full of healthy and crunchy raw vegetables.

This spiced coriander, lentil and barley soup is creamy, delicious and filling.

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 1 hour to prevent them burning during cooking. We used ling for this recipe but you can use any firm white fish fillets. Note

A healthy and filling vegetarian casserole packed full of flavour.

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least an hour prior to use, to prevent splintering or scorching. Note

Use a good quality whole-egg mayonnaise. Note

Aïoli can be made easily at home: Combine ½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise and 1 crushed garlic clove in a small bowl. Season to taste. Note

The richness of pork works perfectly with fresh and aromatic flavours, as in the coating mixture and salad for this recipe. Loin chops have a fatty edge ­ trim it if you wish, but don’t remove it as it makes the meat flavoursome and luscious. Note

A quick and easy Italian-style pizza with roast garlic and crispy potato.

Treacle can be used in place of molasses. Note

With a rich, tomato-based vegetarian filling and a bubbly, golden cheese topping , these buttermilk potato pancake rolls are our delicious take on Italian cannelloni.

We used blue-eye fillets in this recipe. Note

Delicious summer rolls with red wine marinated sausages and a parsley and chervil salad.

Grilled sausages with a colourful and delicious pear and witlof salad.

This recipe would also be delicious using cauliflower instead of broccoli, or a mixture of both. Note

The pasta cases can be made, cooled and removed from the pans one day before the party. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The bolognese sauce can be made two days ahead; keep it covered in the fridge. Assemble the baskets up to 3 hours before the party. Note

A colourful salad of crispy roasted vegetables and grill haloumi salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Peri-peri (piri-piri) is a hot Portuguese sauce made of chilli, garlic, ginger, oil and herbs, and is available from supermarkets. You can also use pontiac potatoes for this recipe. Note

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent them scorching during cooking. Note