Serves 2-4

This is also delicious made with fish instead of steak. Reduce cooking time to 10 minutes. Curry can be made 1 day ahead. Note

Chilli basil stir-fried pumpkin recipe

Fresh and crisp, this pear and apple salsa is the perfect side for tender butterflied pork steaks.

Serve with a green salad Note

The cooking time of perch depends on the thickness of the fillet. Note

More than just fancy macaroni cheese, this baked three cheese pasta is cheesy, creamy and crunchy on top. Ok, maybe it is a fancy macaroni cheese, but it's a great one.

Jazz up your standard family weeknight dinner with this delicious grilled Mexican stack, made by layering tortillas with melted cheese and a tender spiced chicken filling.

For an authentic touch, sprinkle with fried shallots (onions). Available from asian grocery stores and some major supermarkets. Note

This is a quick dish – have everything ready before you begin to cook. Note

To protect fish flesh from drying out or overcooking when steaming, leave skin on. The flesh will be beautifully moist and you can remove the skin to if you like. Note

The balance between the sweetness of the honey and the sharp, vinegary mustard is what gives honey mustard chicken its distinctive appeal.

Forget about faffing around with collars and a bain-marie. These tangy little lemon soufflés are easy to make and simply divine. If you're in a particularly indulgent mood, a dollop of double cream won't hurt.

This tofu and vegie burger recipe is a great stand-by for nights when you want or need to produce a vegetarian meal. They're packed with protein and totally yum.

Poaching chicken in this way guarantees a tender and moist result. Served on ciabatta, this lemon garlic chicken is a perfect protein filled lunch with a tangy finish, and just the right amount of heat from the chilli.

The elegant taste of veal is perfectly offset by this salsa verde accompaniment. The key to cooking this tender meat is not to overdo it. Fry until just done, and you'll be rewarded with the most delicate of flavours.

Bring a burst of colour and light, fresh flavour to your dinner party table with this prawn ravioli and mint and pea puree. There will be some fancy finger work involved but just look at this delightful result.

If you're looking for a super easy dessert, something to whip up in a matter of minutes, this mixed berries with sponge fingers recipe is perfect. Like a deconstructed trifle in a pudding glass.

At a minimum you'll need plenty of napkins, and possibly a bib for these delicious honey and tamarind pork spare ribs. Don't scrimp on the marinading time, because that is what gives these ribs their amazing flavour.

Both, sopressa and chorizo can be quite spicy. Taste the different varieties on offer at the delicatessen before making this meat lover's pizza.

Roasted mushrooms make a deeply savoury, rich and earthy sauce for this tender roast rack of lamb. Served with little roast potatoes and your choice of vegetables for a fabulous roast lunch or dinner.

Fill your kitchen with the heady aroma and taste of Italy with this healthy and colourful eggplant, tomato and basil pizza made with your own thin and crispy pizza base. Just like mama used to make!

If you want to serve up a healthy lunch with lots of protein and vegetables, these little vegetable and feta frittata are the way to go. They're also great as after-school snacks, and make a fab packed lunch.

This dish was on the first menu at our restaurant Hugo's, at Bondi, and it actually stayed on the menu for years, as it turned out to be one of our best-sellers. It's a recipe that goes to prove that good food does not have to cost an arm or a leg.

Not suitable to freeze. Note

You need to buy a 350g bunch of watercress for the amount of sprigs required. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

When you want to pull out a dish that's set to impress, whole fish always does the job. This baked baby barramundi with pumpkin seed pesto makes a spectacular centre-piece.

If mangoes are unavailable, use pineapple. You need two passionfruit for this recipe. Note

If using a grill (broiler), place sardines skin-side up on oiled oven tray. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Horseradish is sold in various forms; make sure you use the prepared white horseradish in this recipe, not horseradish cream. You need about four large bunches of spinach weighing about 1.6kg to get the amount of trimmed spinach required for this recipe. Note

High on flavour and protein and low on carbs, this tuna bean and basil salad is perfect for a light yet satisfying lunch. Baby capers give it that little bit of extra punch.

“Twice-cooked” Chinese dishes date from days before refrigeration, when people boiled large cuts of meat because it kept better than if left fresh. Here, it also helps rid the meat of some of its excess fat. For extra-crisp pork, serve it on the capsicum mixture rather than tossing them together. Note

Fishmongers and major supermarkets should have fresh shelled prawns with the tails intact. If you can’t find them fresh, prawns are also available frozen. Thaw in the fridge during the day, so they are ready to cook when you get home. Note

So hearty and warming, these pork and cabbage rolls will convert anyone to a love of cabbage dishes.

Roasted pears are soft, sweet and somehow autumnal in flavour, they're also complemented beautifully by the balsamic and mustard dressing on this pear and baby spinach salad.

Chinese cooking wine (chinese rice wine or hao hsing) is available from selected supermarkets and Asian food shops; use sherry if you can’t find it. Somen noodles are the thinnest variety of Japanese noodle, similar to vermicelli. It is available at selected supermarkets and Japanese food shops. Note

Best made close to serving. Note

You need an ovenproof frying pan for this recipe as it goes into the oven; or cover the handle with a few layers of foil to protect it from the heat. We used a mix of oyster, shiitake, swiss and portobello mushrooms. Note

If you want to reduce the intensity of the chillies, remove the seeds and membranes. Note

If you can find fresh orecchiette, use them instead of the packaged dried version. Note

Lunch just became a lot simpler with this quick and easy recipe. It is great for using leftover cooked meats.

Veal schnitzels, or escalopes, are large but very thin slices of lean veal. They are tender and quick-cooking, and are often coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried in butter to give wiener schnitzel. Note

Lemon and dill dressing can be made a day ahead. Cover; refrigerate until required. This recipe is best made just before serving. Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

This mezze is very simple. Success lies in the quality of the ingredients: choose ripe tomatoes, good bread and quality oil.

Patties can be made a day ahead; cover, refrigerate. If you can’t find mizuna (Japanese mustard lettuce), use wild rocket or rocket instead. Note

You need to cook about 1⅓ cups white long-grain rice the day before making this recipe. Spread it evenly onto a tray and refrigerate overnight. Note

Tuna sold as sashimi has to meet stringent guidelines regarding its handling and treatment after leaving the water. Regardless, it is still probably a good idea to know your fishmonger quite well, or to seek advice from local authorities before eating any raw seafood. Note

This summer fruit dish is so quick to put together, looks good and tastes great!

Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking. Note

If you want a richer flavour, add a little cream and blue cheese to the baking dish. Note

Crispy snow pea, prawn & avocado salad is perfect for a summer entertaining lunch.

You can melt the cheese for each burger, if you prefer. Note

Soba are Japanese buckwheat noodles and are great served hot or cold. They are available in selected supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

A traditional veal scaloppine makes for an elegant dish to serve up to guests.

We used a goat’s milk feta cheese. It is fine to use just one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

If your frying pan handle is not ovenproof, wrap it in foil to protect it in the oven. Note

We used 3 bananas in this recipe. When baking with a nut roll tin, place it upright in the oven. Nut roll tins are available at selected stores. If unavailable, use a loaf tin instead. These rolls will keep for about three days. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Use a stiff brush to scrub the mussels under cold water. You can ask your local fishmonger to beard the mussels for you. Discard any mussels that do not open. Note

Replace fresh figs with stone fruit or berries. You can buy rolled rye at selected health food stores; replace it with rolled oats if you can’t find it. Store the muesli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

These sandwiches are so chunky and rustic, and most importantly, delicious!

Caramel top `n’ fill is a delicious caramel made from milk and cane sugar. Use it straight from the can for slices, tarts and cheesecakes. Note

Fresh spinach and ricotta agnolotti is found in most supermarkets’ refrigerated sections. You can substitute ravioli or tortellini for the agnolotti, but none should contain meat or poultry in their filling. Note

When the kids get home from school starving, it's a good time to slip something healthy on their plate. We've got four recipes here, muffins, smoothie, fruit dip and quesadillas, that are perfect.

Try canned salmon with a little lemon juice in place of mushrooms. For a healthier version, replace cream with low-fat evaporated milk. To thicken, blend 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and stir slowly into remaining milk. Note