Use a vegetable peeler to cut the cucumber into ribbons. If taking the salad to work for lunch, keep the dressing separate until ready to serve. Note

This recipe is best made as close to serving as possible as prawns toughen on reheating. Note

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

You can buy butterflied sardines from most good fish markets, or get your fishmonger to butterfly the fish for you. To butterfly your own fish, buy an already gutted fish, slice down the length of the belly until just before the tail, place fish, belly-down, on a chopping board and roll gently with a rolling […]

Make the filling in advance, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Note

If you don’t have a large enough oven tray to fit the salmon, ask the fishmonger to remove the head of the salmon for you. Salmon can also be cooked on a covered barbecue. Note

The fish can be marinated and threaded onto skewers a day ahead, store, covered, in the refrigerator. You can use any large fish fillets or steaks, such as ling, gemfish, snapper, kingfish or silver warehou, for this recipe. Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using to avoid scorching or […]

Some commercially prepared curry pastes can vary in heat and flavour. Add less than recommended until you can determine how hot it makes the final dish and to suit your spice level tolerance. In Indonesia, particularly on Java, food is often wrapped in banana leaves before steaming or grilling ­a process called “pepesan”, which gives […]

Soak 10 bamboo skewers in cold water for an hour before use to prevent them splintering or scorching during cooking. Note

We used bream fillets here, but you can use any firm white fish fillet, such as perch, blue-eye or ling, if you prefer. 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 […]

Use light coconut cream, if you prefer. Note

The crunchy sesame seed crust on the tuna gives a nutty aroma while leaving the tuna rare. Note

Saganaki, is the traditional Greek name for a snack or entrée of floured, herbed then fried cheese which is sprinkled with lemon juice and eaten with bread. Note

Moroccan-smoked trout and chickpea wrap for a quick and healthy snack on the go.

Use a bland tasting vegetable oil or a light olive oil for the remoulade; it can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the fridge. Note

The recipe can be doubled to serve 4; use two baking dishes for even cooking. Note

We used blue-eye in this recipe, but any firm white fish fillet is fine. Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta available from Greek delicatessens and specialty food stores; if unavailable, use risoni. Note

For a milder pistou, substitute flat-leaf parsley for half of the rocket. Note

Any whole white fish would be fine to use in this recipe. Ask the fishmonger to clean and scale the fish for you. Use herbs such as tarragon, chervil, lemon thyme, dill and chives. Note

Makrut lime leaves, aromatic leaves of a citrus tree, are used similarly to bay leaves or curry leaves. They are available from major supermarkets and Asian food stores. If you can’t buy snake beans, use regular green beans. Laksa pastes vary in heat, so use only as much as suits your heat tolerance. Note

Rich tomato sauce, smoky meat, herbs and cheese ­ the very best of fresh ingredients ­ that’s the Italian way. Put the pot on and let it bubble its way to a delicious infusion of flavours. Note

You will need to soak eight 25cm (10-inch) bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before using to prevent them from splintering or scorching during the cooking process. Note

We used ling in this recipe, but any firm white fish fillet will be fine. Note

Check for bones; pull them out with clean tweezers. Serve salmon with steamed rice and a green salad. Note

This recipe can be made in a traditional paella pan if you own one, otherwise a deep frying pan or wok with a tight-fitting lid will suffice. Serve the paella straight from the pan at the table. Note

If you don’t have metal skewers, use bamboo skewers ­ soak them in cold water while the prawns are in the fridge. Note

Cooking salt is coarser than table salt, but not as large-flaked as sea salt: it is sold packaged in bags in most supermarkets. Note

Fried shallots, often sold by their Thai name of homm jiew, are available from Asian grocery stores in jars or cellophane bags, and will keep for months if stored tightly sealed. They can be added to any number of Western dishes for a tasty bit of surprise crunch. Note

If the pesto is a little too thick for your liking, thin it down with a little olive oil before drizzling over the salmon. Note

You’ll need six small wooden skewers for this recipe. Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before using to prevent them splintering and scorching during cooking. Use dried oregano if you can’t find rigani. Note

Nam jim is a generic term for a thai dipping sauce. Most versions include fish sauce and chillies, but the remaining ingredients are up to the cook’s discretion. Note

Soak the bamboo skewers in warm water for at least 15 minutes to prevent them burning during cooking. You can replace the prawns with squid or mixed seafood and serve with a good mayonnaise or aioli from your supermarket. Note

Instead of topping the salad with sesame seeds and green onion, try using finely shredded toasted nori. Note

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

Confit, from the French verb ‘confire’ meaning to preserve, means both a food item that has been slow-cooked in fat to cover, and also the cooking technique. Confit foods are exquisitely soft and delicately flavoured, so the technique is sometimes used, as in this recipe, simply to achieve this luxurious effect. Note

Baby green beans can be used instead of snake beans. Note

Some clams might not open after cooking. These might need prompting with a knife or might not have cooked as quickly as the others ­you don’t have to discard them, just open with a knife and cook a little longer if you wish. Note

You can double or treble this aïoli recipe, if you like, but don’t throw the egg whites away. Freeze them until you have enough to make a pavlova or friands. If the aïoli you’ve made separates, place a yolk in another bowl and whisk the separated aïoli into it. The added yolk will re-emulsify the […]

We used wahoo fish for this recipe, but you could use any white fish such as whiting, bream, sole, flounder, dory, perch, snapper or ling. Note

If the potatoes that you purchase for this recipe are young and quite small, scrubbing them well (rather than peeling) will be sufficient. Tuna is at its best if browned both sides Note

To save time, buy 400g of shelled uncooked prawns. If you can’t find a kaffir lime leaf, just use 1 teaspoon of finely grated lime rind. Note

If you’re planning a barbecue, you can marinate the prawns in the remaining ingredients overnight, then thread onto skewers and barbecue. Note

Crab meat can be bought already cooked from some fishmongers. Alternatively buy cooked crabs (about 600g) and remove the flesh from the shells and claws – enough to weigh 200g. Well-drained canned crab meat could be used in this recipe. Note

Peri peri prawn and coleslaw tortillas

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 […]