Dinner party

This recipe is designed to work in a camp oven, but you can use a conventional oven instead, if desired. Place the roasting/baking dish with oven juices on a stove to make sauce.

There's no need to spend hours making the perfect starter; this spicy seafood dish takes just a few minutes to make and will be gobbled up just as quickly.

These cassia spiced lamb cutlets cooked on stone, pathar ka gosht, are excellent as a starter or as part of a banquet meal.

Star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper and fennel seeds are the spices that make these lamb shanks in five-spice with tamarind and ginger so fragrant.

Salt cod is a Mediterranean delicacy and can be bought from speciality stores.

Delight your loved ones at Easter time or just as a special dessert with these white chocolate and passionfruit mousse eggs.

The best of sweet and spicy flavours combine in this one delicious noodle dish. Silken salmon and honey are mixed with chilli, garlic and soy for an authentic Asian taste.

A delicious and easy recipe for spiced fried fish with lemon pistachio couscous. We used bream here, but you can use any firm white fish fillet, such as perch, blue eye or ling.

Rich, fruity and topped with toffee, this upside-down banana cake is sure to become a firm favourite. Delicious on it's own, or served warm with a dollop of thick cream.

Tamari and ginger make a puddle of delicious sauce for this steamed Asian bream. We used whole bream for this recipe, but any fairly small white-fleshed fish can be used.

Fresh, plump figs stuffed with nuts and cheese and then baked. Finish this gorgeous walnut and ricotta stuffed figs recipe with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce for a luscious dessert.

Find out just how easy it is to make your own potato gnocchi with this simple, straightforward recipe. Once you've discovered just how tender and tasty home-made gnocchi is, you'll never go back!

The contrast between soft, silken tofu and crispy fried noodles is just one of the things that makes mee krob so utterly moreish. Good thing it's good for you too!

The secrets of making perfect tempura are: use the freshest vegetables you can find; make sure both the vegetables and the batter are really cold (this prevents the batter from soaking up too much oil); maintain a constant temperature by only frying a few pieces at a time; make the batter just before required; finally, don't over mix the batter - lumpy is good.

To add real zing to a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes, there's nothing like adding a handful of freshly-grated parmesan cheese. The better the cheese, the better the mash will be. In a pinch, you can use ready flaked parmesan from a packet, but the ready-grated stuff doesn't really cut the mustard here.

Piquant tomato vinaigrette makes a wonderful dressing for tender steamed asparagus spears. Serve as a starter, or as a side dish for a meat, chicken or fish main.

Indulge in a hearty meal this Winter with our roast lamb spiked with anchovies and rosemary. Serve with the roasted garlic and tomatoes straight from the pan. Delicious.

Crème catalana is the Catalan version of the French dessert, crème brulée. In fact, many regions lay claim to the origin of this dish. It's traditionally prepared on fathers day in Spain. We think you should enjoy it all year round.

Romesco sauce is a Catalonian delicacy, a rich, thick and spicy sauce that is simply perfect paired with grilled leeks and green onions.

Nutty parmesan is the perfect accompaniment to fresh, crisp sliced fennel.

This fresh and tasty seafood dish is perfect for a Summer lunch or dinner with family and friends.

Sweet and tart, fruity and creamy, this dessert is a taste sensation that will impress any guest.

Lighter than custard, lemon chiffon cream adds a citrus kick to this fruity mango trifle. Revel in some old-fashioned indulgence with layers of jelly, fruit, sponge fingers and cream.

Elegant and delicate without sacrificing flavour, this angel hair pasta with salmon roe and chervil is a great dinner party or lunch party recipe.

Soft, sweet and mild pear makes the perfect sidekick for tart rhubarb in this delicious sponge-topped pudding. Serve with double cream or ice-cream.

Sweet, fruity and zesty, this pineapple, passionfruit and coconut dish is beautiful enjoyed on it's own or with a dollop of cream or ice-cream.

A classic family favourite, this beautiful roast chicken dish is full of flavour from the baked fennel and garlic, and best of all you can cook almost the whole meal in one pan.

Whole fish always make for a sensational centrepiece when you're entertaining. If snapper is unavailable, use any of your favourite whole, firm-fleshed fish for this recipe.

Quick, juicy and tender, these roasted pork fillets with orange make a great mid-week dinner. Serve with some crusty bread and a green salad.

This simple little bitter lettuce salad is the perfect side dish to serve with rich stews and pies.

This delicious, layered nutty chocolate and coffee ice-cream cake is topped with a layer of tender pistachios and toffee coated almonds. An altogether grown-up take on the classic ice-cream cake.

This is one of those throw-it-together-in-a-flash recipes that come in super handy mid-week, when you're flat-out but still want to eat well. Linguine with tuna, lemon and rocket is a classic pantry special.

This capsicum, fennel and red onion salad is delicious served warm as a side dish with a roast joint of meat. If you prefer capsicum skinned prior to cooking, just hold over a gas flame, using tongs, until the skin blackens, allow to cool and slide off.

Two dozen oysters on shaved ice topped with our red wine vinegar or spicy lime dressing is a perfect party platter.

Three fabulous greens in one dish, this buttery, herby dish of leeks, zucchini and asparagus is an ideal side dish for almost any meat-based main.

Similar to creme caramel, cinnamon flan has the same delicate custard base topped with a burnt sugar caramel, but with added spice.

For an easy, elegant dessert, try these decadent sandwiches of golden puff pastry, juicy berries and custard cream.

Rizogalo is a traditional Greek-style creamed rice pudding that can also be served cole. Often spiced with cinnamon and lemon peel, it is also delicious served topped with nuts and honey.

The perfect starter dish, vegetable rice paper rolls with a sweet and punchy chilli dipping sauce. They also make a great platter of party food, just make sure to have napkins on hand.

Now an established classic in the honour roll of great cookie recipes, these white chocolate and macadamia cookies are crisp on the edges and deliciously chewy inside. The perfect mid-afternoon indulgence.

This recipe can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Not suitable to freeze. Note

Soaked in fragrant honey and tossed in sesame seeds, these honey almond pastry fingers are sticky and nutty and impossible to resist.

These little cherry tomato and marinated bocconcini skewers pack a whole lot of flavour into each tiny bite-sized piece. They're the perfect vegetarian inclusion on a cocktail party menu.

Packed with spicy vegetables, juicy chicken and seasoning, whip up this salad in fifteen minutes.

As a sea-faring people for most of their history, the Portuguese know a thing or two about seafood and what to do with it, as this Portuguese-style seafood stew demonstrates.

Salt and Sichuan pepper seasoning does wonderful things to the rich, dark taste of duck. If cooked cucumber is just not your thing, use zucchini instead of the lebanese cucumber.

Wasabi mayonnaise is a cinch to make and is also great in cooked tuna sushi and California rolls.

Deliciously creamy and packed full of the goodness of yellow split peas, this tasty dip is perfect enjoyed with veggie sticks or cracker as a afternoon snack or starter.

A favourite Aussie starter dish, salt and pepper squid is beautiful enjoyed on it's own as an entree or accompanied with this fresh cucumber salad for a more substantial main meal.

These classic red dyed eggs are traditionally enjoyed at Greek Orthodox Easter.

Couscous makes a perfect, fluffy base for the strong flavours of tomato and rocket. Add the dressing and herbs with as heavy a hand as suits your palate, the grains will soak it all up.

Quick, tasty and packed full of goodness, this tasty dish made with sardines and a fragrant caper dressing makes a perfect mid-week dinner dish.

We used Granny Smith apples for this pork loin with couscous and apples. To simplify making this recipe, ask your butcher to remove any excess fat and butterfly the pork for you.

Baking the kumara and honey soy pork in the same dish helps ensure that the pork fillets stay juicy, and allows all the flavours of the dish to intermingle and intensify.

If you don't have a bamboo steamer, you should be able to pick one up at your local variety store or $2 shop. They really are the only way to cook dishes like these little pork dumplings, and it's worth having one tucked away in the kitchen.

The delicate flavour of tarragon is beautiful paired with the bitter leaves of a mixed mesclun salad.

Simple, smooth and creamy, buttery mashed celeriac is a fabulous side dish, either in place of or as well as mashed potato.

A beautiful side dish for a Mediterranean dinner spread, these garlic and herb roasted tomatoes are wonderfully sweet and juicy.

This lime and poppy seed syrup cake is topped with fragrant lime zest. Before you grate the lime, make sure it is at room temperature and roll it, pressing down hard with your hand, on the kitchen bench to bring out the oil in the peel.

A saucy, spiced Cantonese vegetable mix designed to be served on top of poached or steamed snapper, grilled white fish fillets or poached chicken breasts.

Delicious lemon mousse that is perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.

A traditional Italian dish, this light and fresh salad uses only the freshest ingredients to emphasise the importance of good quality produce. Enjoy it on it's own or as a side dish.

Slices of creamy camembert on pumpernickel topped with pear compote make sophisticated canapes for a cocktail party.

Three of the finest fish on the market served up as carpaccio, tuna, kingfish and salmon each come with their own dressing to maximise the taste sensations of this dish.

Putting a tropical twist on the traditional Italian tiramisu, the combination of sweet mango and zesty passionfruit will keep your loved ones coming back for more.

The ultimate comfort food, this garlic bread recipe will give you a crisp, golden crust and a tender, buttery middle. The combination of garlic and fresh herbs creates a beautiful flavour that goes well with many Italian recipes.

Hot-smoked trout is exactly what it sounds like, trout that has been cured in a hot smoker, a method that is used to preserve fish, meat, cheese and nuts while bestowing a distinctive flavour of wood-smoke.

Totally falling under the category of comfort food, this gnocchi with creamy sauce is a rib-sticker.

This pork fillet with apple and leek, served on a pile of baby carrots, asparagus and summer squash, is a fresh, tasty dish spiked with garlic, vinegar and a touch of brown sugar.

This is one retro recipe that never goes out of style, a cob loaf filled with spinach dip is always a huge party hit.

Sweet, dense and oozing with sticky golden syrup, this gorgeous steamed pudding is perfect served warm with a dollop of cream or ice-cream for an indulgent weekend treat.

Fresh, fruity and sweet, this gorgeous passionfruit panna cotta and mango dessert is perfect for entertaining guests or an indulgent weekend treat.

This herbaceous and light Thai chicken and lychee salad is a study in contrasts, of both flavour and texture; tender and crisp, sweet and spicy, it's got it all.

Queso anejo and poblano chillies bring an authentic Mexican flavour to this gourmet guacamole. If you can't lay your hands on any queso anejo, you can use parmesan and other similar cheeses in its place.

The classic French combination of tender veal cutlets and creamy, fragrant anchovy garlic butter is perfect for a special dinner with friends.

Deep-fried crisps make the perfect party snack.

The raspberry and almond cake can be made a day ahead, then split and fill the cake with mascarpone cream on the day of serving.

Rich, crunchy, dense and caramelly, this upside-down chocolate caramel nut cake is a slice of pure indulgence. Perfect with coffee as a special afternoon tea, or served up to celebrate a birthday.

You can use any firm white fish fillet, such as ling or blue-eye, for this tasty fish with thai-style dressing.

Crisp and flaky French pastries, palmiers are so-named because they are folded and shaped to resemble the leafy arc formed by palm tree branches. Honey, pistachio and rosewater add a touch of the Middle East to these quintessentially French pastries.

Just as yummy as a pumpkin scone, and more useful for breakfast on the go or lunch-boxes. A delicious variation to this rosemary pumpkin bread is to add 100g crumbled soft goat cheese or crumbled soft blue cheese to the pumpkin mixture.

This is a cold, fruity and deliciously moreish party punch that, funnily enough, packs a bit of a punch. We used a traminer riesling for this recipe, but you can use any medium-dry white.

A kind of variation on sang choy bow, these little parcels of spicy chicken salad in witlof leaves make a great starter or platter of finger food for a party.

There are few more satisfying dessert experiences than plunging your spoon into a chocolate fondant cake and watching the molten centre run out.

Steaming this Thai-style chicken draws the flavour of the seasoning right into the flesh of the fillet. If the silver beet leaves are small, use two per chicken breast. If kaffir lime leaves are unavailable, use 2 teaspoons of finely grated lime rind.

Enjoy this sweet, tangy and deeply citrusy blood orange jelly straight out of the pot as a light summer dessert.

When the occasion calls for a light, tasty dinner you can't go past a plate of salmon steaks with a crisp fennel and apple salad. If you need something slightly more substantial, serve with good bread or a baked potato.

Tasty wontons in a light, savoury broth make for a perfect lunch or light dinner. This is one of those magic meals that makes you feel like a better person just for eating it.

An exotic spice-rub makes this beef fillet extra tender and mouthwateringly delicious. Served on a bed of chickpea and preserved lemon salad, the whole meal is just a taste sensation.

This is a super way to serve asparagus as finger food. It also makes a lovely starter, especially with some ripe figs on the side. If you want to take it up a notch, you can put a small slice of fontina cheese under the prosciutto, and quickly pan fry to melt the cheese before serving.

These traditional Parisian delicacies are named after a palm tree because, when baked, they resemble palm fronds. Palmiers were probably invented as a way to make use of puff pastry scraps; quick and easy, they're great for afternoon tea.

Gyoza are Japanese dumplings, usually pork but sometimes vegetable, that are steamed and then fried, before being dunked in sauce, in this case our delicious soy vinegar sauce.

Fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaves, this chicken and galangal soup is traditionally known as tom ka gai.

Layers of flaky pastry and semolina custard soaked in lemon syrup makes this traditional Greek custard pie an irresistible treat. Serve galaktoboureko for afternoon tea or as dessert.

Rocket, garlic and chilli add lots of peppery heat to this quick but flavoursome spaghetti dish, while pine nuts and parmesan bring the whole dish together.

Redfish, usually sold skinned as fillets, is ideal for these fish cakes because of its delicate flavour. You can, however, use practically any mild-flavoured, skinless fish fillet.

This simple swordfish with Thai dressing should be cooked on a barbecue or griddle pan just before serving to help keep the fish at it's tender, juicy best.

You can use feta or any soft, crumbly cheese instead of the goat cheese, and toasted pecan halves make a nice change from walnuts. This roasted capsicum pasta salad makes a great lunch-box meal too.