Side Dishes

Use a potato variety suitable for roasting. You can use kumara instead; cooking time will vary. Use 250g packet frozen chopped spinach. Note

Replace strawberries with frozen cranberries. Note

Make ahead: Prepare a day ahead. Cover, then refrigerate. You can double quantities. Sprinkle your favourite spice on pita crisps before baking. Try serving with 1 long loaf sliced Turkish pide instead. Note

Risotto for making arancini is best cooked the day before. Arancini makes great finger food when you serve it with a spicy tomato relish. Perfect for parties. Note

Make ahead: Prepare mince mixture up to 2 days ahead; keep, covered, in fridge For great party food, try chat (baby) potatoes; cooking time will vary. Which potato? Floury potatoes are best for roasting. Check package details or ask your greengrocer. . Save time: You can microwave potatoes. Pierce with a skewer before cooking. Microwave […]

Serve salsa with char-grilled or pan-fried pork steak, cutlet or chop, beef steak or fish fillet. Note

Equal amounts of sugar and fruit must be used to achieve a good gel. Test if jam is ready by placing a teaspoon of it on a cold plate. Touch with your fingertip – if the top wrinkles, the jam is ready to jar. Note

To sterilise jars, put cleaned jars on a baking tray in a warm oven, 150°C, for 10 minutes. Remove, cool slightly. Note

Onion, swede or sweet potato may be added to this mixture. Note

Prepare up to 1 hour ahead and keep chilled. Note

For lemon mayonnaise, combine 1/2 cup whole-egg mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and a little lemon juice. Season to taste. You could coat the cakes in dried breadcrumbs in place of flour if preferred. Note

An easy way to test when chutney is ready is to draw a line across the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, if the gap doesn’t fill up with excess liquid, the chutney is ready. Note

MAKES 4 CUPS This relish is a great way to use up leftover vegetables, and is also delicious with cauliflower, chopped green beans or tomatoes. Note

Always label and date your preserves at the time of cooking. Note

It only takes 30 minutes to cook this peach and ginger chutney, which has a nice bit of spice and heat.

Sterilise jar and lid by rinsing, then drying in o moderately slow oven, 160°C, 10 minutes. Remove and cover with a tea towel until ready to use. Note

Cooking with green tomatoes is a great way to use up those pieces that just won't ripen, either on the vine or off. Serve with cold meats and cheese or on sandwiches and burgers.

Store in cool, dark place for up to 6 months; refrigerate after opening. Note

Do ahead: Parsnip hummus and spiced chickpeas can be made a day ahead; refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Reheat gently before serving. Note

For a variation to the olives, fill the arancini with anchovies, tiny pieces of mozzarella or some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Note

If liked, add a leek or chopped celery to this dish. Note

Light, fresh and healthy, this flavoursome dish is packed full of the goodness of beetroot. Drizzled with a zesty olive oil dressing, it will make a beautiful side dish for your next dinner spread.

Paratha is a flatbread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It can be served with curry, or as we've done here, stuffed with a delicious spicy potato filling and eaten as a snack.

Kibbeh is a classic Lebanese dish made from minced lamb and burghul (hulled, steamed wheat kernels). Fragrant spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg give this popular snack its distinctive Middle Eastern flavour.

An empanada is a stuffed pastry or bread that is baked or fried. They are often filled with meat, but this spiced pumpkin version is a delicious vegetarian take on this classic Latin American snack food.

You just can't beat the flavour and creamy texture of fresh artichokes poached in wine. And there is no denying the irresistibility of hollandaise sauce. This dish is the perfect addition to any antipasto plate.

Bring all the delights of Italian cuisine to your dinner table with this simple, flavoursome dish.

The ultimate comfort food, this cauliflower cheese has a crunchy cheese and herb topping.

This chutney is an excellent accompaniment to cheese or cold meats, and is also delicious served with a curry.

Relish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Relish can be used straight away. This recipe is quite spicy; for a milder version remove the seeds from the chillies or use less chilli. Note

Taramasalata is a classic Middle-Eastern dip that is full of flavour and delicious with pita bread. Here, we've teamed it with artichokes for an even greater dept of flavour.

Gyoza wrappers are thin pastry rounds made from wheat flour that the Japanese use to wrap around fillings for dumplings and pot stickers. If unavailable, substitute gow gee wrappers. Note

Pouches can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Uncooked pouches suitable to freeze. Sweet chilli sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Note

Crispy on the outside but gooey on the inside.

Granny Smith apples are best for this recipe. Refrigerate relish after opening. Use a wide vegetable peeler or mandoline to cut celeriac and zucchini into long thin ribbons. Note

You can buy sugar syrup from liquor stores or make your own. Stir 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar with 1 cup (250ml) water in small saucepan, over low heat, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, without stirring, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Store in […]

In Indian cooking terms, masala literally means ground or blended spices but, informally, has come to mean a “mix” or “mixture”; a masala can be whole or ground spices, a paste or powder, or a sauce-like curry incorporating solid elements. Banana chillies, also known as wax chillies or hungarian peppers, are almost as mild as […]

Okra, also called bamia, bhindi or ladies fingers. Are an African vegetable transported throughout the world by African slaves and traders. Okra resembles a large green chilli having outside ribs and many edible, gummy seeds inside. It can be stewed, as here, roasted or deep-fried, and is as good eaten on its own as it […]

Baharat is an Arab spice mix which usually contains allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, dried coriander, cumin, nutmeg and chilli. Note

Look for fresh scallops as frozen scallops give out a lot of water. Note

fish option Grill white fish cutlets. Cool; flake into pieces. Top rice salad with fish. Note

For a great variation, make pesto and mozzarella croquettes by blending or processing ¾ cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, 1 tablespoon roasted pine nuts, 1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese, 1 quartered garlic clove, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil, until almost smooth. Add pesto to croquette mixture. Mould croquettes into […]

This duck liver parfait is actually quite simple, especially if you buy the livers ready trimmed. The red onion jam is so delicious you might want to make double the quantity so there's some left for sandwiches later.

Thai cuisine is full of exciting and fragrant flavours, which have been used to give this pickle a little zing.

Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the cucumber lengthways. Note

Silky smooth and full of incredible flavours, this chicken liver parfait with sourdough wafers makes an excellent share plate or a starter for a dinner party.

If kefalotyri cheese is unavailable, use parmesan cheese. Note

Potatoes need not be boring any longer. Prepare this recipe for crisp, light, flavoursome potatoes to share as a starter or enjoy all to yourself as a side dish.

Carpaccio, usually served in Italy as a “primi piatti” (literally, the first plate), a first-course salad, can be made with finely sliced fish as well as the traditional beef fillet. Be certain that the meat you buy is as fresh as possible and from a reliable source. Note

Numerous studies have shown members of the brassica family, which includes tuscan cabbage and cauliflower, offer some protection against cancers and heart disease, as well as age-related processes. Pecorino is a hard Italian sheep’s milk cheese similar to parmesan, which may be used instead. Note

ham option Sprinkle with finely chopped ham. Note

Make your own roasted honey and soy nuts and add them to your selection of nibbles at your next gathering and watch them disappear.

Wild rice has a hearty 'nutty' flavour and is well worth paying a little extra for. Teamed here with flavoured with orange and herbs, it makes a delicious and filling vegetarian meal.

This is our take on the traditional Swedish recipe of the same name. Even if you’re not a lover of anchovies, we’re certain you’ll love this dish. Try serving this dish with a green salad, dressed with a lemon vinaigrette. Note

The flavour you get from just a few cupboard ingredients packs an enormous flavour. It is perfect for deep-fried spring rolls, rice paper rolls, or even drizzled over a perfectly cooked steak.

This gorgeous five star starter will impress even the most fussy guests.

Use white sauce (also called béchamel) in pasta dishes like lasagne, or serve with grilled fish fillets or corned beef. It’s the base for many other sauces, including mornay. You can make sauce ahead of time but, to make sure a skin doesn’t form on the sauce, cover its surface with plastic wrap. Note

The subtle flavour of this rich, savoury rice from the south of Thailand makes a good accompaniment to more highly spiced dishes. Serundeng is usually sprinkled over a hot dish just as it's served, much like a gremolata, to awaken the tastebuds.

It is important to use silken tofu for this recipe to get the right texture. Note

To many kids, cauliflower can be a pretty unexciting vegetable. Smothered with cheese and baked to crispy, golden perfection, well, that's another story.

Artichoke leaves are pulled off the whole artichoke, one by one, and eaten by scraping against the teeth to extract the soft flesh at the base of each leaf. In this recipe we suggest dipping the leaves in a full-flavoured olive oil and the flavoured crumbs before eating. Note

Roasted pumpkin with bacon and fetta from AWW May 2008