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.

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

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

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

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

Sambal is a hot relish made using fresh fruit and vegetable ingredients, this cucumber and pineapple sambal is spicy and crunchy.

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

Store pickled ginger in the refrigerator. Ginger will turn pink once the vinegar mixture is added. Young ginger is available from Asian grocers. It is easier to find during the summer months.

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

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

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

This potato salad strays from the usual creamy mayonnaise dressing with a deliciously zingy balsamic and mustard combination. This healthier salad would make a great addition to your Christmas spread.

You will need a barbecued chicken weighing about 900g (1¾ pounds). Note

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

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

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

This makes a fantastic centrepiece for the table but it’s really just lettuce and tomatoes given a bit of a makeover.

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. […]

These Japanese vegetable tempura are crisp and light as air. Delicious served with a spicy sake-soy dipping sauce.

Infused with cinnamon and cardamom, these preserved lemons and oranges are so easy to make at home and add flavour to all sorts of dishes.

Served with a cooling minted yoghurt sauce, this wholesome salad is delicious and nutritious.

You can use any leftover damper in bread-and-butter pudding. Sprinkle extra muesli over damper before cooking. Damper suitable to freeze. You can make mini dampers; cooking time will vary. Note

There are so many ways to boost everyday salads. Don't be afraid to use whatever vegetables are on hand for a colourful, vibrant and delicious creation.

Fill the house with the scent of freshly baked bread with this easy, delectable focaccia.

This quick and tasty dinner is packed full of protein, healthy fats and slow-releasing carbs to keep your fuller for longer.

Anyone can give baking bread a go with this easy and delicious onion focaccia.

Bean and rice tabouli, a popular Middle Eastern rice salad, from Recipes+.

This warm potato salad is the perfect accompaniment to a roast

A delicious side dish of barbecued corn, capsicum and eggplant from Woman's Day.

This golden dish makes an excellent main course with a dollop of pesto and salad, or as a side dish with meat. Great for the lunchbox, too!

Add crispy pancetta or proscuitto, if desired. Note

A colourful and exquisite summer salad with a nutty and delicious pesto.

Homemade plum sauce is a revelation in terms of complexity and depth of flavour, it's very much the real thing. Use as a dipping sauce, to spice up braised Asian greens or add to stir-fries.

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.

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.

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.

Quick, healthy and delicious Mediterranean-style salad.

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.

A light, healthy and energy-packed salad.

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.

An exquisite sweet potato dish with blue cheese topping.

Find out just how easy it is to make your own potato gnocchi with this simple, straightforward recipe. Once you've discovered just how tender and tasty home-made gnocchi is, you'll never go back!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

The trick to making really smooth mashed potatoes is to use hot milk. For a mildly garlicky version, add some peeled cloves to the water with the potatoes and mash through.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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