The combination of pork and veal mince gives these meatballs a deliciously rich quality that you won’t get with beef mince. Note

You can also use ocean trout fillets in this recipe. Cooking times will change slightly for each different kind and thickness of fish you select. Salmon and ocean trout are at their best if slightly underdone. Don’t slice the apples until you are ready to toss the salad with the dressing because the flesh will […]

Substitute watercress and tatsoi leaves for baby spinach and mizuna, if preferred. Note

Use any firm fish that’s in season, it’s cheaper that way. Sumac is a type of Middle Eastern spice, now available from supermarkets. The flavour is slightly tart. If you can’t find the spice, cook the fish without it. Note

You can used store-bought char-grilled capsicum for this recipe, if you like. Note

Saffron is obtained from the stigmas of the saffron crocus and it is famously the most expensive spice in the world. Note

Risotto cakes came about as a way of using up left-over risotto. It is far easier to shape the cakes when the mixture is cold. It is worth lining oven trays with baking paper to stop the cakes sticking. Note

Soba are fresh or dried Japanese noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour. They’re available from Asian food stores and major supermarkets. Note

Aïoli is a garlic mayonnaise; it is available in supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

We removed the roe from the scallops, but it can be left intact, if you prefer. Note

Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Stir in coriander. Note

You can use drained gelatinous noodles instead of the cellophane noodles. Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using your pressure cooker. Note

As the sauce is heated, the alcohol can ignite. It generally burns off in a matter of seconds, but shaking the pan will extinguish the flame. Keep a lid nearby, exercise caution and don’t use your exhaust fan when making this sauce. Note

Use only the lower white part of the lemon grass stem. Garlic, lemon grass and sweet chilli sauce lend a Thai accent to this recipe Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Frying the herbs in butter, rather than adding them directly to the sauce, gives them extra flavour and keeps them bright green. Recipe not […]

suitable from 6 months Reheat frozen portions in a microwave oven on MEDIUM (50%) power until just warmed. You could make the combination while cooking the purées; freeze, in 1-tablespoon portions in ice-cube trays, covered, for up to 1 month. Note

Dry sherry can be used instead of mirin. Note

Celeriac is a tuberous root with knobbly brown skin, white flesh and a celerylike flavour. Keep peeled celeriac in acidulated water to stop it discolour ing. In addition to being boiled and mashed, as we have done here, celeriac can be grated and eaten raw in salads; used in soups and stews; or sliced thinly […]

Best made just before serving; prawns can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Recipe suitable to freeze. Note

You can use a lamb backstrap instead of cutlets. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side and then slice thickly. If fresh broad beans are in season, you can use them instead of frozen ones. Note

When peeling parsnips, make sure you remove all the bitter outer layer. Persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and parsley traditionally used either as a garnish or to flavour a sauce, as we have done here. The secret to tender calves liver is to make sure you slice it into paper-thin scallops and then […]

We used blue-eye in this recipe, but any white fish fillet will be fine. Peri peri, also spelled piri piri, is a hot chilli sauce used in African, Portuguese and Brazilian cookery. It is available from gourmet food stores and most major supermarkets. Note

You can substitute rib-eye (scotch fillet) or sirloin (new-york cut) steak for the eye fillet in this recipe. 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 […]

Treacle can be used in place of molasses. Note

Ratatouille can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. It is great on its own, or served with pasta. In a Provencale dialect, touiller means to stir and crush, thus the name ratatouille perfectly describes this rich vegetable stew. Note

If you’ve ever brunched on yum cha, you’ve probably eaten gai lan and loved it; stir-fried or steamed then splashed with a little sesame oil and oyster sauce. This deliciously crunchy vegetable is the perfect accompaniment to our crisp-skinned chicken. Note

Did you know? Zucchini, also known as courgette, is a summer squash. Its colour ranges from dark green/black to pale green, green/grey and yellow. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, fibre and folate. Note

Substitutes You can use other flavoured sausages such as pork and apple. This dish is a great way to use up your leftover vegetables. Try using carrot, swede, fennel, pumpkin and kohlrabi instead of the kumara. Note

Spaghettini is a very thin spaghetti. It is available from Italian grocery stores and most large supermarkets. Note

Tender lamb forequarter stuffed full of exquisite Mediterranean flavours.

We used chicken breast mince in this recipe. Note

Use a fish such as snapper or perch. Note

Spelt is an ancient form of wheat that has a higher level of protein and wider range of nutrients than ordinary wheat. It still contains gluten, making it unsuitable for coeliacs. You can use any form of long pasta instead of the spelt fettuccine. Note

Choose an oyster-flavoured sauce without any seafood content such as mushroom oyster sauce. Check the label if you are unsure. Note

A spicy sausage that originated in Tunisia, merguez has become traditional fare throughout North Africa and Spain.

We don’t recommend that you freeze cooked vegetables as they tend to have a spongy texture and “leftover” look about them once they’ve been thawed. Mushrooms, eggplant and members of the squash family are especially freezer unfriendly. Note

These crispy and crunchy chicken strips are unbeatable with pistachio and chilli crumbs.

Persian lamb and rhubarb stew

During the final 10 minutes of cooking, stir the barbecue sauce occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch on the base of the pan. To make the chicken wings go further, cut each one in half through the joint into two pieces. Do ahead The barbecue sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate […]

You can use any small, whole, white-fleshed fish for this recipe. Note

Stand the beef at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Salsa can be prepared a day ahead, keep, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

A bright, colourful and exquisite lamb, spinach and spiced peach salad.

Tender roast lamb with a fragrant herb rub and burghul salad.

We used blue-eye trevalla cutlets in this recipe, but you can use any white fish cutlets. Vietnamese mint is not a mint, but a pungent and peppery narrow-leafed member of the buckwheat family. Also known as laksa leaf and cambodian mint. It is available from Asian greengrocers. Note

The chicken can be marinated a day ahead. Recipe best made close to serving. Note

Lamb noisette is a round, rather thick, cut of meat taken from the loin. We used a basil pesto dip from the refrigerated section of supermarkets, but you can use any pesto you like. Some major supermarkets and greengrocers are now selling bunches of baby carrots of different colours. We used a bunch each of […]