Side

Using slightly under-ripe plums gives them a higher pectin level, which helps the paste to set. Note

Chicken can be coated with parmesan several hours ahead. Place in a single layer on a plate and keep refrigerated. Cook chicken and prepare salad as required. Note

Potato starch is similar to cornflour but stronger, so use a little more cornflour if you cannot find any potato starch Note

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

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

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

Syrup can be made the night before and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. 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 also use coliban or pink-eye potatoes for this recipe. Note

Before starting the recipe, boil the kettle so you have boiling water ready to go into the saucepan to blanch the brussels sprout leaves. You need to plunge the leaves into iced water, so make sure you have some on hand. You could also use a portion of cold-smoked, boneless trout, if you prefer. Note

Hearty and delicious dish of potato wedges with a spicy beef topping.

Preserved lemon is a North African specialty, where lemons, whole or sliced, are placed in a mixture of salt and oil or lemon juice. Note

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking. Cut skewers to an appropriate size using scissors, if they are too long. Note

Red cabbage is good both raw in salads and cooked lightly. Cook in a minimum of water to which an acid ingredient, such as lemon juice, apple, vinegar or wine, has been added. The acid component is needed because plain water can be alkaline, which turns red cabbage an awful blue-green colour. Note

Literally meaning “composed salad”, the ingredients in this dish are layered on top of each other, rather than being tossed together, and the dressing is drizzled over the top. Note

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

A sweet and spicy Asian-style marinade that is fantastic with beef and pork ribs.

Use a combination of basil and mint leaves if you cannot find any japanese mint (shiso). You will need half a small jap pumpkin for this recipe. Note

It is important to squeeze as much excess moisture as possible from the potato so that the pancakes hold their shape while cooking. You can also use russet burbank or spunta potatoes for this recipe. Note

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

A bright and colourful roasted cherry tomatoes, broccolini and pepitas salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

We used Sambuca in this recipe; it can be replaced with Pernod, ouzo or your favourite aniseed-flavoured liqueur. Note

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Fontina is an Italian cows-milk cheese that has a smooth but firm texture and a mild, nutty flavour. Mozzarella can be substituted for the fontina. Note

Preserved lemon can be bought in delis and some supermarkets. Remove and discard the flesh then wash and dry the rind before chopping. Note

You could use tahini (sesame seed paste) instead of grinding the toasted sesame seeds. Beans or watercress can be used instead of spinach in this salad, and peanuts or macadamia nuts could be substituted for the sesame seeds. If you like, you can sprinkle the cooked spinach with smoked dried bonito flakes. Note

Lamb’s lettuce, also known as mâche or corn salad, is very popular in France. It has a mild, almost nutty flavour and dark green leaves. It is usually sold in 125g punnets, but the leaves probably weigh only about a quarter of that total. Note

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent the skewers burning during cooking. We used flathead fillets in this recipe, but you can use any firm white fish fillets you like. Tatsoi is a variety of buk choy, also known as rosette bok choy. It has dark, glossy, […]

Keep salad refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving. Note

For the pickled ginger syrup in the dressing, use the syrup drained from the pickled ginger in the salad. The salmon skin gets wonderfully crunchy when cooked twice on the grill, as we do in this recipe, this provides added texture and flavour. Note

Pastizzi are a traditional Maltese food. These flakey pastry pockets are traditionally filled with either fresh ricotta or mushy peas, but nowadays, the variety of fillings are endless and can be sweet or savoury. Fillings are usually distinguished by the unique shape, ricotta-filled pastizzi are diamond shaped, pea-filled pastizzi are a rounded semi-circle. It is […]

You can peel the potatoes in advance and leave them in a bowl of cold water so they don’t go brown. Once they are sliced, assemble the dish immediately. Don’t stand the sliced potatoes in cold water or you will wash away their natural starch, which thickens the sauce. Note

Quick and easy steamed Asian greens from Australian Women's Weekly.

Ground lemon myrtle is available from specialist spice shops and some gourmet food stores. Lemon myrtle is a small tree that grows in sub-tropical and tropical rainforest areas of Queensland. Ground lemon myrtle is a ground mixture of the dried leaf and flower; it has a strong lemon flavour. If you can’t find it, use […]

Lamb’s lettuce, also known as mâche or corn salad, has a mild, almost nutty, flavour and tender, narrow, dark green leaves. You need a 225g punnet for this recipe. It is available from most greengrocers. Note

Dried rose petals are available from specialist food stores. Note

Pizza fingers can be prepared the day before; put the toppings on, then cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge. Bake when ready to eat. Note

A delicate and exquisite fennel and apple salad packed full of big flavours.

Canned whole baby beets can be substituted for fresh beetroot, if preferred. Potatoes, beetroot and peas can be cooked in advance and refrigerated, covered. Combine salad just before serving or beetroot will “bleed” into egg and potato Note

Wear disposable gloves when preparing chokoes as they will leave a sticky residue on your skin. Store pickle in a cool, dark place for at least three weeks before opening. Refrigerate after opening. Serve with cold meats and cheese. Note

Soba noodles are long, flat thin Japanese buckwheat noodles from Asian food stores and major supermarkets. Note

Originally a French dish, this potato is all the better with rich and delicious caramelised onion.

You will need about 3 limes for this recipe. Note

For an impresive starter or light lunch cut one sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry into four equal squares. Place the pastry squares on an oven tray, bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve the pastry squares topped with a dressed salad and a slice or two of pan-fried haloumi. […]

Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce and is often used for dipping in Japan. It is readily available from Asian food stores and some major supermarkets. Note

Chermoula spice mix (chermoula spice blend) is a North African spice blend that gives a spicy Moroccan flavour to food. It is a blend of cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, parsley, salt and pepper and is available from specialty spice shops and most major supermarkets. Note

You need one trimmed corn cob to get the amount of corn kernels required for this recipe; canned corn kernels or frozen corn kernels, if you prefer. Note

You can use soft goat’s cheese in place of the feta. Note

This yummy potato dish works well as a side, a starter, finger food or a bring-a-plate contribution. It can also be adapted to a vegetarian-only option.