Spring

Use budget beef rump steak instead of chicken. Price will vary. You can use rigatoni or penne instead. Note

Cook up to a day ahead. Cool. Cover, then refrigerate. Bring to room temperature to serve or reheat in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Note

If desired, use fresh or frozen corn kernels. “Egg flowers” can be omitted if preferred. Note

Any sausage or salami of your choice can be used. Note

Pasta will take 10-12 minutes to cook. Or you can use fresh pasta, which will take only a few minutes, making this an even speedier dish. Make this dish even faster by using a ready-made pesto sauce instead of making your own gremolata. Note

Add 1 tablespoon moroccan spice mix with onion for a flavour variation. Note

Roll out Luca Villari’s sensational small plates for a relaxed afternoon in the sunshine with friends

Light, fresh and tasty, this gorgeous barbecued asparagus, corn and salmon salad is the perfect lunch time dish for your next Summer party or family picnic.

This bright and zesty salad will tickle your taste buds. Smoked chicken and asparagus salad with a buttermilk dressing makes a great lunch or light dinner.

A well made hollandaise sauce is irresistible, especially when spooned over fresh, barely cooked asparagus. The trick to a prefect sauce is to whisk vigorously and constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

This thick, creamy and utterly delicious watermelon and berry frappe is a great way to start your day, or to reach for as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Naturally sweet and enlivened by a shot of lime.

Make the most of summer asparagus with this quick and easy gluten-free frittata. You could also add a handful of thinly sliced swiss brown mushrooms when you cook the asparagus - the opportunities are endless!

Drizzled with a herby lemon dressing and scattered with toasted pecans, this salad is a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Pomegranate molasses is thick and brown with a concentrated flavour. It possesses tart and fruity qualities similar to balsamic vinegar and complements the lamb cutlets beautifully in this recipe.

Celebrate spring with this zesty, flavour-packed risotto.

This moreish pasta dish is ideal for a family lunch or quick mid-week dinner.

Shell pasta, or conchiglie, is available in 3 sizes. In addition to the medium shell we used here, there is a smaller shell called conchigliette, which makes a great addition to soups, and a larger shell, called conchiglioni, which is usually served stuffed and baked. Note

Celebrate the warmer weather with this light, herby salad topped with goat's cheese and spiced almonds.

With crisp sugar snap peas and a punchy mint dressing, this lamb salad makes a delightful lunch or light dinner.

Feeding a family of big eaters is expensive! When I find a meat-free meal they enjoy, it helps the weekly budget. This risotto is the kind of dish that can be made if there are the very barest of essentials in the cupboard. It has light flavours to match the season. I do have to pay attention to the pot, but only for half an hour, so it’s no drama.

Celebrate spring with this beautiful salad of young asparagus, avocado and juicy grapefruit.

We used butter beans for this recipe, but you can use any white beans. Note

Broad beans are also known as fava beans. They mash up beautifully and work well as a dip, or spread on warm crusty bread with a drizzle of olive oil.

Begin your day with this easy, fresh and nutritious meal.

This is spring in a dish – asparagus, watercress, new potatoes and steamed fish – simply prepared and well-flavoured. If you have a stacking steamer (I use a bamboo steamer; they’re available at little cost from Asian stores) you can cook everything in it.

The barbecue is the perfect way to cook a butterflied leg of lamb. Have your butcher trim, split, and debone a whole leg for you.

Smoked salmon can be used instead of trout, if preferred. Note

Gnocchi with caramelised pumpkin & sage sauce

Serve slices of this moreish pizza at your next party and watch as they quickly disappear.

Loaded with spring vegetables and herby pork meatballs, this soup is delicious and filling.

Celebrate the warmer weather with colourful stacks of pasta, vegetables, passata and creamy ricotta.

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.

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

Tender and fragrant, these lamb racks with garlic, sage and red onion make a fabulous main dish for a dinner party. The rule of thumb is one rack per adult guest.

Light, fluffy and moist, this divine mandarin, polenta and macadamia cake is packed full of flavour and is beautiful served sliced as morning or afternoon tea.

This Mexican-style corn soup is delicately spiced with garlic, chilli and cumin. The crunchy tortilla strips and jalapeños sour cream are both moreish, so make sure to have plenty on hand.

Tender lamb cutlets are just fabulous with baby beetroot and a dollop tzatziki. You can boil, steam or roast the baby beets, but roasting them brings out the flavour best.

A cross between mandarins and grapefruit, tangelos make a jam that's sweeter than marmalade yet still tart, thanks to the fruit's natural acidity. This jam is particularly good spooned generously over rice pudding.

A delicious soup full of seasonal spring vegetables.