Side

Omelettes can be made up to 3 hours ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator, roll and slice just before assembling salad. Note

You will need about eight passionfruit for this recipe. Note

Crispy potato wedges with a light and summery sun-dried tomato pesto.

A delicious side dish of spicy couscous salad packed with pine nuts, red onion, currants and harissa.

If baby zucchini are unavailable, cut small zucchini into quarters. Note

Crispy, fluffy and delicious potato puffs packed full of garlic, onion, bacon and gruyere.

If taking this salad to work, pack the dressing separately and add to the salad at lunch time. note Rice vermicelli is similar to bean thread noodles, only longer and made with rice flour instead of mung bean starch. It is available from supermarkets Note

We used Grand Marnier liqueur in this recipe; you can use any orange flavoured liqueur you like. Note

Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least 1 hour prior to use, to prevent them from scorching and splintering. If using metal skewers, oil them first to stop the prawns from sticking. Note

Make your own delicious cheesy crisps for snacking or sharing with family and friends.

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

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

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

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

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

Roast the tomatoes in a baking dish with deep sides; this shields them from the heat so they won’t burn. Note

Use any rice you like for this recipe, just make sure it’s cooked properly so every grain is separate. You could use about 3½ cups of cold leftover rice if you happen to have it, if not cook, rinse and drain the rice the day before the picnic. Keep the rice in the fridge. Assemble […]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kick start you day with these satisfying, flavour-packed pancakes, or serve them up as a late-afternoon snack for the family. They'll be a hit with kids and adults alike.

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, […]

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

You could also use coliban or sebago potatoes for this recipe. 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

Dried rose petals are available from specialist food stores. Note

You can substitute 100g crumbled blue cheese for the gruyère, or add 310g can drained corn kernels for a delicious corn-flavoured potato puff. You can also use nicola or pink-eye potatoes for this recipe. 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 […]

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

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.

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

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 […]

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