Dinner ideas

Green (unripe) papayas are readily available in various sizes at many greengrocers, Asian food shops and markets. Select one that is very hard and slightly shiny, which indicates it’s fresh but not too unripe to grate or chop. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

A light and healthy salad that is full of bright colours and big flavours.

Crispy and delicious spiced spatchcock with a cooling herb yogurt from Australian Women's Weekly.

Rigatoni, a ridged, tube-shaped pasta, is ideal for baked dishes because it is wide and the hearty fillings cling to the indentations around the edges. Note

A beautifully bright and colourful rainbow salad packed full of beetroot, asparagus, orange and avocado.

This recipe will make about 36 balls. You can also use this stuffing to fill the cavity of a whole turkey or 2 large chickens. Note

Hearty and warming, this delicious stew is packed full of fresh seafood to nourish your body and soul.

Fragrant and delicious spicy coconut lamb curry with potato and eggplant.

A hearty cassoulet with delicate chicken breast and merguez, a spicy North African sausage.

Asian-style pork and chicken stir-fry with a wonderfully rich black bean sauce.

If fresh mango is not available, you can use 800g canned mango cheeks instead; drain them well, then slice thinly. Note

A quick and easy authentic Italian pasta with sausage meatballs and rigatoni.

Pears, parsnips and red onion have a natural sweetness that is enhanced on roasting. This sweet flavour balances beautifully with pork’s creamy, fatty texture making it the perfect pairing. It’s the same reason apple works so well as an accompaniment with pork in all its forms. Note

A traditional Sunday dinner dish in the French countryside that literally means, 'chicken in a pot'.

We cooked this recipe in two ovenproof dishes,­ each dish will serve three. We have deliberately used dried, uncooked pasta in this dish. The texture of the final dish is a little chewy, but still tender. Note

Recreate your favourite Asian starter dish at home with delicious satay and sweet and sour sauces.

Sumac is a spice that adds a tart, lemony flavour and can be found in Middle Eastern food stores. Note

Tender pork loin stuffed with capsicum and ciabatta crumb and served with a rosemary gravy.

Use the freshest, sashimi-quality fish you can find. Raw fish sold as sashimi has to meet stringent guidelines regarding its handling and treatment after leaving the water. We suggest you seek advice from local authorities before eating raw seafood. Recipe not suitable to freeze. This is the perfect dish if you love sushi but haven’t […]

Harissa is a delicious spicy Moroccan paste made from dried red chillies, garlic, oil and caraway seeds.

A fragrant and simple spiced lamb dish with rice and lentil from Australian Women's Weekly.

This Italian-style seafood, bean and tomato stew has a delicious combination of flavours and textures.

Be careful when frying mint as it will spit. Note

We used hard (stir-frying) tofu; you can substitute firm tofu, if you prefer. Note

This deliciously tender slowcooked spiced chicken in coconut sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Not suitable to freeze. If you have one, try using a mandoline to cut the potatoes into paper-thin slices, otherwise, use a very sharp knife. We used a merlot-style wine in this recipe. Note

Dry sherry can be used instead of mirin. Note

Roasting makes both the parsnip and garlic wonderfully sweet and mellow. When preparing the parsnips, be sure to peel thickly enough to remove all the bitter outer layer, and also to cut off any woody core. Note

A classic Singaporean dish, these delicious noodles are tossed with prawns, pork and egg to create a real authentic flavour sensation.

You could stir some finely chopped and seeded cucumber into the remaining yoghurt. Note

Spice-rubbed lamb salad with roast capsicum, red onion and dutch carrots.

Pork cutlets like you've never seen before with the sweet and smokey flavours of maple, bourbon and pear.

Pre-baked, packaged pizza bases first appeared in supermarkets during the 1980s. They come in various sizes, some with cheese already in the mix. You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken weighing approximately 900g to get the amount of shredded meat required for this recipe. Note

Packed full of goodness, this delicious seafood stew is complemented beautifully by these tasty homemade garlic croutons. A real Winter favourite!

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. This dish is traditionally German or Eastern European, but France adopted it when it annexed the Alsace region in the mid 17th century. It […]

Refried beans are sold, canned, in most supermarkets, as are packaged flour tortillas. Made of pinto beans that are just parboiled then fried with various seasonings, refried beans are also known by their Mexican name of frijoles refritos. You will need to purchase one small iceberg lettuce for this recipe. Note

A large stainless steel fish poacher (60cm long) is needed for this recipe. Note

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

Rich and warm, with a nice kick from the chilli.

A simple yet gourmet salad with an exquisitely sweet raspberry macadamia dressing,

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

A flavour-packed Provençal salad with eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, haloumi, olives and garlic croutons.

A super-fast version of the Southern-Indian madras curry that packs a chilli punch.

If you prefer, you can make a mustard sauce for the chicken, replace marsala with dry white wine and stir in 2 teaspoons of whole grain mustard into the finished sauce. Note

Our version of traditional Italian cannelloni takes homemade potato pancakes and fills them with a hearty, delicious vegetarian filling. Topped with bubbly, golden cheese, this is one dish you'll love.

Substitute pork with chicken. This recipe is best made just before serving. Note

Haloumi is a firm, sheep-milk cheese with a minty, salty flavour; it does not break down when cooked, however, it should be eaten while still warm as it becomes tough and rubbery on cooling. This recipe is perfect for cooking on the barbecue when entertaining friends or family ­ serve with a couscous salad for […]

Make your roast Mediterranean style with this delicious spiced and zesty rub.

Round steak, gravy beef (shin) and skirt steak are all suitable meats for this recipe. Pho is a breakfast favourite throughout Vietnam, but can be eaten it any time of the day. Note

This recipe is cooked in a slow cooker on low over 8 &frac12 hours. Note

Asian-style noodles and chicken with kecap manis, also known as ketjap manis, a dark, thick, sweet soy sauce.

Many cooks think pecans are only suitable used in desserts, but they are just as good in salads, stuffings and main courses. They are also great tossed in curry spices then roasted or coated in chocolate or toffee. Studies show that pecans contain the most antioxidants of any nut and about 60 per cent of […]

A member of the onion family, the leek resembles a green onion, but is much larger and more subtle in flavour. Baby or pencil leeks are beautifully tender and can be eaten whole with minimal cooking, but adult leeks are usually trimmed then chopped or sliced and cooked as an ingredient in stews, casseroles and […]

Pulled beef, or pork, comes from pulling extremely tender pieces of meat apart­ rather than cutting it into slices usually with two forks, which separates the meat into strands. Low, slow cooking is required to produce meat tender enough to pull apart into pieces. Note

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as roman or cremini, are light-to darkbrown in colour with a full bodied flavour. Store on a tray in a single layer, covered with damp, absorbent paper and keep where cool air can circulate around them. Note

Variously called sfinciuni or sfincione in Sicily, we call it delicious - a double-decker pizza with its aromatic filling hidden between the layers.

Replace orange with apple or pear slices, if preferred. Pork does not need to be overdone. Cook until just pink in the middle to retain juices. Note

A sweet, sour, fresh and fragrant Asian-style rice noodle salad with wasabi dressing.

Exquisite and delicate smoked chicken and peach salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Leek and potato are natural allies when teamed in a satisfying winter soup. Take care to wash the leeks well under cold water to remove any gri Note

Use crisp, crunchy fresh water chestnuts for this recipe if they are in season; frozen fresh water chestnuts also can be found in many Asian grocers. About 5-medium sized chesnuts are needed for this soup. 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

We used a greek feta, which crumbles well and has a sharp taste. Note

The basil mixture, without the lemon rind and juice, can be made several days ahead; keep tightly covered in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months. Add the lemon just before serving. Make sure you cook the haloumi just before serving, as it becomes tough and rubbery on cooling. Note