Leek

This pear, leek and goat's cheese tart is a delicious celebration of autumn produce. Not only is it so simple to prepare, it also looks incredibly impressive thanks to the gorgeous pear topping and lemon honey glaze!

Fennel infuses this leek gratin with a delightfully bright anise-like taste, making it a flavoursome side dish. Serve alongside a roast dinner or your favourite steak for a nourishing, balanced meal.

This is a big family-style pie, but it can easily be pared back to suit one or two. It's a scrumptious way to add some fish to your weekly menu, and the pairing with caper parsley peas makes a well-rounded meal.

Whip up this leek tart for an easy, healthy and extra tasty idea for dinner. Pair it with a side of panzanella salad for the ultimate vegetarian meal!

A soft and buttery shortcrust pastry makes these mushroom and leek tarts the easiest around! The filling is extra delicious too and perfect for a filling lunch or weeknight meal

Serve warm with tomato chutney and enjoy these delicious leek and potato cakes for the perfect lunch or light weeknight meal

It doesn't get much easier than this corn chowder recipe. Creamy, delicious and ready in just under an hour, this tasty soup is the perfect family dinner. Serve with buttery toasted garlic bread

You've never had leeks like this before. Gemmayze St restaurant's head chef and owner Samir Allen shares his recipe that takes humble leeks to delicious new heights with caraway, thyme butter and nuts

Eating your veges has never been more delicious. This creamy leeks and baby spinach recipe creates a gently spiced, delicate side dish that's the perfect partner for tonight's dinner

This wonderfully comforting leek, cauliflower and cheddar soup recipe is fantastic topped with crisp prosciutto and enjoyed for a tasty midweek meal during the cold winter months

Perfect enjoyed for lunch or for dinner, this scrumptious leek, goat’s cheese, walnut and sage tart recipe creates a sensational vegetarian meal that's simple and easy to make

In this Nici Wickes tart recipe, soft and sweet leeks combine with the tang of Parmesan and saltiness of prosciutto. These tarts are easy to make and yet look and taste quite spectacular

This leek and vegetable risotto recipe creates a quick, tasty dinner filled with kumara, peas and parmesan. Try this hearty, budget-conscious meal for dinner tonight!

This golden, cheesy leek and vegetable au gratin recipe creates an easy, no-fuss weeknight meal that will have even the kids enjoying their veges

A hearty and delicious witches' potion with garlic rolls - that's vegetable soup to the rest of us mere mortals!

A leek and salmon fettuccine with lemon crumb that will ensure an appetising meal

Chicken and leek are a match made in heaven, especially when encased in golden puff pastry

Dollar-wise dinners to get you through the week.

These crispy cigars from Deborah Hutton's book, Entertaining Made Easy, make a great party starter. They can even be made in advance, set aside and just popped into the oven when people start arriving.

A delicious medley of tray-baked vegetables made extra tasty with a scattering of breadcrumbs, anchovies and sage

This warm char-grilled lettuce with creamy chicken salad is perfect for lunch, and as a side for dinner or a BBQ. It's a healthier alternative to a Caesar salad. And suitable for diabetics, too.

Indulge in this mouth-watering caramelised leek and olive tart - the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, and the perfect dish for dinner tonight!

Warm up on the cooler nights with this creamy potato and leek soup - wholesome, comforting, and so delicious!

This easy cheesy leek quiche is jam-packed full of delicious ingredients, and encased in a perfectly flaky pastry shell. The perfect lunch or dinner for any day of the week!

Perfect for a chilly winter's night- the entire family will love this nourishing chicken and leek soup.

A homemade pie is a thing of beauty, and this chicken and leek pie is simply amazing. If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought pastry or a ready-roasted chicken, but I never cheat with the white wine sauce – this is what makes the filling so creamy!

Warm up with this creamy, seafood broth infused with clams and snapper and seasoned with thyme and tabasco sauce.

These creamy vegetarian delights bring a gourmet twist to the traditional Aussie pie. Leek, potatoes and mushroom ooze from these pithiviers while puffed pastry melts in your mouth.

Thick, creamy and delightfully warm, this fennel and potato soup hits the spot and with cheesy croutons is even tastier.

Seriously delish (and devilish!) snarlers for your next dinner party

Tuck into these hot pots with a fishy surprise.

Winter vegetables get an Asian-inspired flash fry to become deeply satisfying bowls of goodness

A perfect way to use up any left-over pasta, these are great to pack in lunchboxes or take on picnics.

http://www.taste.co.nz/recipes/chicken-recipes/chicken-leek-pie-cheddar-pastry/

This is hardly a pie – it’s really a stew with a crusty scone topping – but it does the job of a good meat pie; that is, it fills you up with warming inexpensive food.

If preferred, char-grill your own capsicum by roasting until skin chars. Simply remove skin, seeds and membrane, and then use as directed. Note

Make cheesy croutons by lining a baking tray with baking paper. Thinly slice a small baguette. Arrange on tray. Bake at 180°C for 5-10 minutes, until golden. Turn over and sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Bake for another 3-5 minutes. Note

A simple combination of ingredients makes this a light and refreshing soup that looks stunning.

Easter is a perfect time of year to gather friends and family for a festive lunch or satisfying supper – after a day of egg hunting, of course! These simple, elegant recipes are sure to please.

Potato disintegrates on cooking, creating a thick, velvety texture. Note

Enrich the soup by swirling in 1 1/4 cup cream and 30g butter at the end. Note

A garnish of flowering herbs and fresh peas makes this comfort-food favourite extra special.

Trim about 5cm from the ends of the spinach stalks and throw them away. Check before adding any salt, as smoked chicken can be quite salty already. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

Suitable to freeze (without mustard, cream, peas and parsley). Not suitable to microwave. Note

If you like a stronger blue cheese taste, use the whole 90g packet of creamy blue cheese. Note

Kumara and coriander soup

Alexa Johnston bakes European-inspired savoury vegetable tarts. Like many people I have a bit of a love affair with savoury pies, but tend not to make them very often. The time that goes into making and resting pastry, making and cooling a filling, then putting it all together, is a bit daunting – and yet I’d happily spend just as much time making a complicated cake or sweet pastry. Lately, however, I have been making savoury tarts inspired by the vegetable tarts of northern France and northwest Italy.

Don’t over-work the dough in the food processor or it will become chewy instead of flaky. Note

Follow these simple directions from Sarah Bowman and your destination will be dining delight

Equipment: Sharp knife; 2 large baking trays; baking paper; frying pan; spatula. Note

Budget tip: Use celery instead of leeks. Floury potatoes will give the best results. Note

If using pesto from the jar, add 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste). If fennel is in season, thinly slice 1 small bulb and add with leeks in Step 3 for extra flavour. Note

Instead of brie, crumble 200g ricotta over mixture. Replace capsicum dip with rocket or basil pesto. You need 600g peeled pumpkin. Note

You could use macaroni instead of risoni, if preferred. For extra flavour, add spices such as ground cumin or fennel. Note

Alternatively, you could use this filling for 6 small pies. Line standard muffin fray holes with 4 layers of 8cm filo squares; top with bacon, then egg filling; bake for 15 minutes. Try 1/3 cup grated gruyere instead of parmesan. Note

Use low-fat cream, ricotta and feta. Recipe is best mode just before serving. Process soft bread removed from rolls to make crumbs; freeze for another use. Note

Enjoy leftovers cold. You con use white onions instead of leeks if liked. Note

Use leftover shredded barbecued chicken or add or few sliced mushrooms. You’ll need to process 3 slices white day-old bread for breadcrumbs. Note

You can use broccoli instead of broccolini. You’ll need to cook about 1/2 cup rice. Try tuna instead of salmon. Note

Risoni is small rice-shaped pasta available from the pasta aisle. Note

Use chicken thigh fillets instead of breast fillets. You can use brown onion instead of leek. Note

For cheese baguette, slice loaf and arrange on a grill tray. Sprinkle with cheese then grill until melted. A sliced leek could be added to this soup. For a richer soup, use cream instead of milk. Note

It is important to wash leeks thoroughly. Slit lengthwise and splay open the layers as you hold the leek under cold running water. Place pastry in a pie dish if you have trouble keeping it in shape. Note

You can use other cheeses, like gruyere and swiss cheese. Note

Other potatoes of choice may be used in this recipe. Note

Sprinkle pastry with sesame seeds after brushing with the egg, if you like. You could also omit the pastry and serve filling with mashed potato and steamed vegetables. Note

Always remove bay leaves before serving. Note

You can use prosciutto or pancetta in place of bacon if you prefer. Note

Delicious leek, bacon and egg tart creates a tasty midweek family meal. You can always spread pastry bases with ready-made pesto before adding leek mixture for extra flavour.

You can use prepared chopped garlic in this recipe; 1 teaspoon equals 1 clove. Note

Fill the whole family up with this satisfying vegetarian soup. Serve immediately with some crunchy bread or pop it in the freezer to enjoy for lunch throughout the week.