The peanut sauce can be made in a food processor or blender instead of a mortar and pestle. You need about a quarter of a small cauliflower for this recipe. Note

Tying various herbs and spices in a piece of muslin, securing with kitchen string, makes them easier to remove when the chutney is ready to be spooned into jars. Note

We used black tea leaves, but you could also use a smoky tea such as lapsang souchong. It’s a good idea to do the smoking on the barbecue. Note

Also goes well with potato salad; pan-fried beef eye-fillet steaks (omit water so the pesto has a thicker consistency); grilled lamb kebabs. Note

Gorgeously sweet orange and maple glazed baby carrots. The perfect accompaniment for your next dinner party.

Watercress has deep green, clover-shaped leaves that have a peppery, spicy flavour. It is highly perishable and should be used the day it is bought. Note

Keep an eye on the syrup towards the end of the cooking time; as it reduces, you need to reduce the temperature to maintain a gentle simmer. Use any leftover pomegranate seeds in salads or sprinkle over desserts. Note

Labne is yoghurt that has been drained of whey. A short draining time, results in a thick, creamy yoghurt, while a longer one, will achieve the consistency of a soft yoghurt-cheese, that can be rolled into balls. You can make your own or buy it from supermarkets. Note

Use a mixture of cauliflower, carrots, celery, green tomatoes, cucumber and pickling onions. If the mixture seems too wet, drain away some of the liquid before bottling. Note

Use metal skewers to pierce through the hard core of the corn slices. Note

Remaining garlic-infused oil can be used in salad dressings. Note

Fresh peas can be replaced with 2½ cups (300g) frozen peas. Note

Goes well with rumaki crab dip Note

Wear gloves when peeling beetroot to stop the juice from staining your hands. Note

You can use one quantity of shortcrust pastry, page 4, instead of the store-bought sheets. Note

This delicious and simple mash can be whipped up in no time at all.

This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

A light and delicate salad with smoked chicken, cranberry, pear and pecan nuts.

Oil needs to be added slowly to prevent mixture separating. Should the mixture separate, whisk in two tablespoons of hot water. Note

Used extensively in Japanese cooking, daikon has a sweet, fresh flavour without the sharp bite of the more common red radish. It can be used raw in salads and as a garnish, or cooked in various ways. Green tea soba are Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour and green tea; they are available from most […]

You need 24 witlof leaves for this recipe. Note

We used Sicilian olives in this recipe. They are smooth and fine-skinned with a crisp, crunchy bite and a refreshingly piquant, buttery flavour. Note

Sweet potato fries loaded with delicious pulled beef short ribs, candied jalapenos, chimichurri and mozzarella.

You can substitute 2 cups (400g) dried brown lentils, soaked overnight and boiled until just tender, for the canned lentils, if you prefer. Note

Traditionally served as an accompaniment to spicy dishes, this recipe would also make a great light vegetarian starter. Note

Mizuna, a mild-tasting, crinkled salad leaf, is usually one of the greens found in mesclun, which can also be used in this recipe. Note

You can use any variety of fresh fig for this recipe. Omit the vanilla bean for a plain fig jam. Note

The perfect side dish to any roast dinner spread, these delicious baked rosemary potatoes will delight the whole family.

We used green, black and vine-ripened tomatoes. For an extra indulgence, use the larger buffalo-milk mozzarella instead of bocconcini. Note

You can also use coliban or lasoda potatoes for this recipe. Note

A bright, colourful and fresh Vietnamese salad with pan-fried tofu.

This quantity of basic fruit mix will make a classic Christmas cake or classic steamed Christmas pudding. Note

.Sumac is a purple-red, astringent spice ground from berries growing on shrubs that flourish wild around the Mediterranean. It adds a delightful tart, lemony piquancy to food without the heat of chilli. Available from the spice aisle of most supermarkets and Middle Eastern stores. Note

Sweet but savoury, this delicious tomato and passionfruit jam can be enjoyed with desserts, atop toast or as a chutney-style spread on a cheese platter.

Makes enough for six 210g servings of fried chicken drumettes. Note

Granny Smith apples are best for this recipe. The jelly has a natural soft pink colour before the colouring is used; you can omit the colouring, if you prefer. Note

To blind bake, line pastry case with a sheet of baking paper, two-thirds fill with raw rice, bake at 200°C (180°C fan forced) for 10 minutes, then remove paper and rice and return pastry case to oven for a further 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Note

Why buy store-bought jam when you can make your own delicious mandarin jelly, perfect spread atop toast with a dollop of butter. This way, you know exactly what's going into it, and your family will love the homely touch.

You need two punnets of baby mizuna for this recipe. Large mizuna leaves can be used instead. Use drained, canned crab meat, or flesh from cooked crabs. You can also buy fresh crab meat from the fish markets. Note

An exquisite side dish that goes perfectly with grilled haloumi and crusty bread.

You can use a mixture of grilled eggplant, capsicum and sun-dried tomatoes for the antipasto vegetables. Grilled artichokes and mushrooms could also be used. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. For a light meal (that serves four), serve with some crusty bread. Note

Do ahead The dough can be made a day ahead. Pear and onion mixture can be cooked 4 hours ahead. Note

This exquisite ruby grapefruit, orange and basil salad brings colour and zest to any dinner table.

Warm, hearty and creamy, Potatos Byron is a simple but tasty French potato recipe with Parmesan cheese and cream.

Bread cups can be made a day ahead, store in an airtight container. You need 3 x 12-hole (2-tablespoon/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans, it’s fine if you only have one pan, just make the cups in batches. You also need an 8cm round cutter. Buy fresh, thin-style pitta bread. If the bread is too thick […]

Labne can be left to drain and thicken, still weighted, in the fridge for up to three days. Note

For shallow-frying, add enough oil to come halfway up the side of the food to be fried. Aioli is garlic mayonnaise, available from the condiment aisle in most super markets. Note

Romesco is a traditional northern Spanish sauce, much like pesto in texture, made from a mixture of nuts and fire-roasted capsicum that often accompanies seafood or a local roasted Catalonian spring onion. Note

Salad is best prepared on the day of serving. The potatoes can be served warm or cold. Note

A small, spicy sausage ­ eaten throughout North Africa and Spain ­ merguez is traditionally made with lamb meat and is easily identified by its chilli-red colour. Merguez can be found in many butchers, delicatessens and sausage specialty stores, but any spicy sausage can be used in this recipe. Note

Put this salad together the night before to take to work. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Add oil, vinegar and basil just before serving. You can use basil-infused oil olive, if you like. To save time, use 300g of well-drained char-grilled capsicum. Note

Brown rice vinegar, made from brown rice, has been called the eastern version of apple cider vinegar, although its mild flavour has a subtle sweetness and about half the sharpness. It is available from Asian grocery stores and some health-food stores Note

You can substitute cooked crab meat for the prawns in this salad. Note

A bright and colourful summer olive salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Kumara slices can be baked several hours ahead. Keep covered. Assemble salad and add dressing just before serving. Note