Modern New Zealand

The richness of pork works perfectly with fresh and aromatic flavours, as in the coating mixture and salad for this recipe. Loin chops have a fatty edge ­ trim it if you wish, but don’t remove it as it makes the meat flavoursome and luscious. Note

This recipe would also be delicious using cauliflower instead of broccoli, or a mixture of both. Note

The sauce is not suitable to freeze. Note

This tomato chilli jam is deliciously versatile ­use it as a condiment in sandwiches, to pep-up stir-fries or as a glaze for chicken, fish or lamb fillets or skewers. Note

A 30cm glass stand was used for this cake, but a prepared 30cm round board can be used instead. Fruit can be varied, depending on season and availability. Note

Salmon can be wrapped in baking paper several hours ahead; bake close to serving. Note

We’ve used shredded coconut in our picture, but feel free to mix and match using shredded, desiccated or flaked. If you use flaked coconut, be sure to blend or process it until it’s chopped coarsely; this helps it to stick to the icing. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml); bake about 40 minutes. Note

The day before you plan to cook the pork, unwrap it, pat dry with paper towel and leave uncovered in the fridge. Doing this will dry the skin out a little which will assist with crackling. Note

Instant mash is a dried mashed potato mix reconstituted with boiling liquid to give a light buttery flavour. It is available from most supermarkets. Note

You can substitute glacé fruit with others of your choice. Cut the cake with a hot knife. Wipe the blade clean between cuts. Note

These scrolls can be made 3 days ahead; store in an airtight container. They are not suitable to freeze. Note

Use a stiff brush to scrub the mussels under cold water. Note

Also known as floating islands, this dessert is an adaptation of a French pudding, in which a stale sponge cake, steeped in liqueur, was floated in a bowl of custard. Note

To test the conserve: when the mixture has thickened, place a saucer or a small plate in the freezer for 5 minutes or until chilled. Spoon a little of the hot conserve onto the cold saucer. Return to the freezer for 2 minutes or until chilled. Touch the conserve. Note

To make individual crumbles, use four 1½ cup (375ml) dishes and bake 15 minutes. Note

A fish burger makes a delicious alternative to a beef burger. You can use white-fleshed fish, or even prawns, instead of the salmon for something different. Note

Pop open a bottle of wine and sit back in the sunshine to enjoy your beautiful seafood platter. We've included two delicious sauces in this recipe that will complement your platter wonderfully.

You need six 30cm (12-inch) squares of unbleached calico and six 1m (1 yard) lengths of kitchen string. Note

Edible gold leaf and candy thermometers are available from kitchenware stores and cake decorating suppliers. Note

Patties tend to shrink when cooking, so make sure you make them about 12cm (4¾-inch) in diameter. Note

You could poach or fry the eggs, if you like. Note

Inserting the base of the springform pan upside down will make it easier to slide the cake from the base. Note

Ask your fishmonger to butterfly the sardines. It is correct that the sardines are not cooked in this recipe. Note

Top puddings with a slice of glacé orange. It is available from gourmet and health-food stores. If the six 30cm squares of unbleached calico have not been used before, soak them in cold water overnight. The next day, boil them for 20 minutes then rinse in cold water. Puddings can be cooked in two boilers […]

Use frangelico (hazelnut) or crème de cacao (chocolate) flavoured liqueurs. Cut cakes with a serrated knife. Note

Use fresh raspberries if fresh blackberries are not available. Place the unused vanilla pod in a jar of caster (superfine) sugar to make your own vanilla sugar. Note

This recipe is also gluten-free. Note

A filling, classic, healthy muffin that is simple to prepare. Note

Flaked coconut can be bought from a store which stocks Indian and Fijian food. Note

See if you can get the 6 orange strips and 2 teaspoons of rind from 1 orange, otherwise you may need to buy 2 small oranges. This recipe makes 6 ­ freeze the remaining 4 muffins for later use. Note

If you’re looking for a nostalgic drink to make, you can’t go past making creaming soda spiders! With only two ingredients you can’t mess this recipe up, and it makes for such a delicious treat! Looking for other drinks ideas? Try making these spider floats. We used creaming soda but you can use any fizzy […]

Éclairs are best made on day of serving, but do not fill until ready to serve. Unfilled éclairs can be frozen. Note

To get ½ cup of pomegranate pulp, use a medium pomegranate. To remove the pulp, cut pomegranate in half, then hit the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon ­ the seeds usually fall out easily; if not, dig them out with a spoon. Discard the shell and white pith. Note

Garlic is easy to roast and has a more mellow taste than it does raw or fried. Make it and freeze it by the tablespoon wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Roasted garlic beaten with softened butter adds a whole new dimension of flavour to mashed potato or steamed corn cobs. Note

One-year-olds may be too young to eat the cachous, but they’ll certainly love the cake. Tiny heart-, star-, moon- and other-shaped cutters are sometimes sold as aspic cutters. Note

You need to cook 1kg pumpkin for the amount of mashed pumpkin needed. You can decorate this cake with Chinese candied ginger strips, available from Asian grocers. Note