Sweet, juicy baby carrots are roasted in a garlic glaze to create this beautiful side dish, the perfect accompaniment to roast lamb or chicken.

Essentially a simple spicy pilaf, green rice is a great side dish for any number of mains, but especially good with Asian-style crispy-skinned chicken and Cajun-spiced fish.

A quick, easy and exciting twist on asparagus that works as a side dish, a buffet dish or barbecue platter.

Enjoy yum cha at home with these sweet and spicy pork buns. If you're serving little people, put the chilli sauce out of reach!

Asparagus and baby beans just dripping with garlic butter make a fabulous green side for just about any meal.

Tasty chunks of roasted pumpkin make this couscous dish hearty enough to serve as a main at lunch, or as a light dinner.

Rich, creamy and sweet, this classic custard recipe is the perfect accompaniment to many pies, cakes and desserts.

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

Can be made two weeks ahead; keep refrigerated. Note

Enjoy this cheeky adult's only fruit dish on it's own with ice-cream or cream, or drizzled atop a slice of cake. These beautiful vodka soaked cherries last indefinitely and make a perfect Christmas gift.

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 quick, simple and delectable rocket salad that's the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Peppery rocket needs very little added excitement, just a little red onion and a classic vinaigrette.

Smoked chicken lends its unique taste to this crisp pear and radicchio salad with a red wine vinaigrette. If the flavour of smoked chicken isn't a favourite, use a store-bought barbecue chicken in its place.

Smooth and smoky roasted eggplant dip, also known as melitzanosalata, is delicious served as part of a Greek platter.

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.

You can add a small fresh chilli to each jar if you like your oven-dried tomatoes spicy. Egg tomatoes are perfect for this recipe as they don't have many seeds, but you can use any variety just make sure you choose ripe unblemished tomatoes.

It's actually quite easy to skin whole hazelnuts. Just roast in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes, then wrap in a tea-towel for one minute for the steam to loosen the skins, rub inside the towel to remove skins and then cool.

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.

Delicate shreds of lettuce tossed with spring onion and a zingy red wine dressing make this deceptively simple spring salad a mouthwatering side dish.

Tomato and courgette sauce brought to you by New Zealand Woman's Weekly

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

Tamarind concentrate is the 'sour' in this hot, sweet and sour vegetables recipe. Made from the fruit of the tamarind tree, the concentrate is sour, tangy and fruity all at once.

Fluffy, fragrant and full of spices, this beautiful yellow coconut rice goes beautifully alongside traditional Indian curries.

Kalamata olives and dried figs create a sweat and salty dip for your next visitors.

For a delicious breakfast with a difference, make like the good farmers of the Swiss canton of Berg and sit down to crisp potato rosti. Topped with poached eggs and chilli relish, they're a spicy, savoury delight that will definitely keep you going until lunch.

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.

Home-made strawberry jam is simply the best. Make it at the height of the season, when the berries are cheap and plentiful. If you're near to one of the pick-your-own places, all the better.

Tender lamb encased in baked eggplant and haloumi cheese.

A soft flatbread that is popular all over the Caucasus.

Make a delicious pie base and crust with this parmesan cheese spiked short crust pastry recipe. You can leave the cheese out if you prefer, and even replace it with sugar for a sweet dish.

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.

This is the easiest way to make rice without a rice cooker. And, it's one of the basic recipes all households should know!

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.

A wholesome bean salad with a tasty mustard vinaigrette that makes a great lunch or savoury side dish.

There's no better way to complete a roast dinner with all the trimmings than to serve up a delicious, traditional cauliflower cheese.

This easy dip combines the goodness of beetroot and beans, and it's pink too.

Hot pickled chillies are perfect for antipasti, platters and starter dishes. Once you get the hang of making them, you'll want to make sure you always have a jar in the fridge, ready to go.

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.

Deep-fried crisps make the perfect party snack.

A classic Australian favourite whether it be paired with battered fish or enjoyed on it's own with tomato sauce, hot potato chips taste the best when created from scratch.

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.

Smooth, sweet and glossy, here is a recipe for royal icing that you can use on your cakes, cupcakes and desserts.

If you fancy trying something a bit out of the ordinary, this Tahitian fish salad is simple to make and absolutely bursting with flavour. It makes a colourful and delicious lunch.

Homemade mint sauce is nothing like the kind you buy in a jar. It's minty, sharp with vinegar and just a little bit sweet too. Perfect for dolloping over slices of juicy roast lamb.

The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this delicious candied orange peel recipe can be included in desserts, cakes and savoury dishes like tagines.

This method for boiling eggs will centre the yolk and is used for recipes which require presentation such as salads.

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.

Spicy pickled onions, packed with chillies, cloves and ginger, make the perfect accompaniment to a classic ploughman's lunch.

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.

Savoury and deeply satisfying, this vegetable curry is great as part of a banquet or as a meal on its own.

A traditional, German rye bread, pumpernickel has a strong flavour and unique texture. Most often served here in tiny squares as a canape base, freshly made pumpernickel is softer and can be used for open sandwiches or served with soup.

Cherries will last indefinitely. Do not allow metal lids to touch the liquid; plastic is best to use. This recipe is unsuitable to freeze or microwave.

A tasty addition to a sandwich, burger or snacking plate, make a batch of your own pickled cucumbers and delight your friends and family.

A good gravy makes all the difference to the taste of roast meats. Here's the basic recipe.

Corn or vegetable oil can be used instead of the peanut oil. Note

You will need a piece of pumpkin weighing approximately 750g for this recipe; we used butternut, but you can use whatever pumpkin variety you like. Note

Buk choy and gai lan can also be cooked this way. Note

Use your favourite mountain bread variety or pita (lebanese) bread for this recipe. Note

This goes well with prawns, chicken and pork. Note

Merguez sausages, from North Africa, are traditionally made with lamb and seasoned with garlic and hot spices. They can be found at most delicatessens and sausage specialists. Golden beetroots have a slightly sweeter flavour than the purple-red variety and can be found at most greengrocers. When trimming the beetroots, leave a little of the stalk […]

Labne is drained yoghurt. You can buy it from supermarkets. Roast nuts and seeds together on an oven tray (keep the cumin seeds separate on a small piece of foil), in a 180°C oven for 8 minutes, stirring half way through, or buy pre-roasted. Note

Skordalia is a thick dip in Greek cuisine usually made of garlic and potatoes.

It is best to buy the ricotta from the delicatessen as it is firmer than the pre-packaged ricotta in tubs. Zucchini flowers wilt quickly. Look for flowers with green, moist stems and bright orange flowers that haven’t started to wilt. Store them loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in the refrigerator where they won’t be […]

Bonito is an oily fish which, when dried and flaked, is widely used in the Japanese kitchen. You could serve the beans with Japanese mustard instead of the bonito and use dry white wine instead of sake. Note

Soft fresh goat cheese can be substituted for fetta, if desired. Note

Recipe can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Casseroles and bakes enhance the flavour of your favourite vegetables in these nutritious, hearty meals including potato and cauliflower gratin and garlic, vegetable and rice casserole. Note

For best results when deep-frying, check the oil is hot enough before adding the parsnip strips. Dip the handle end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil, if bubbles immediately form around the wood, the oil is the correct temperature. Note

These crispy Moroccan-style sweet potato fries are the perfect side dish.

It’s always a good idea to rinse capers before using them as they are very salty and their brine has a strong flavour which can overpower the other ingredients in the recipe. Note

Goes well over hot potato salad, pan-fried fish fillets or grilled lamb cutlets. Note

Salad can be prepared several hours ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note