Rice paper rolls with pork and herbs

Spring rolls bring a light but flavour-packed taste perfect for this time of year, and although there is a little mis-en-place, once you have everything in place, you can simply roll and eat.

Daniel Medcalf’s arancini with garden peas

These crunchy pea arancini from chef Daniel Medcalf are the ultimate starter for spring entertaining. Serve them hot and watch your guests fight over the last one.

Saag curry

A good dose of pureed spinach is what brings a verdant glow to this Indian-style curry with cheese.

Shaved globe artichokes with lemon, olive oil and parmesan

Four ingredients are all it takes to create this sublime spring salad.

Fat asparagus in a black bean sauce

Think of this as the vegetarian version of black pepper crab. The sauce is very simple to make and the combination of salty black beans, soy and butter make this a truly winning combination.

Raspberry marshmallows

Our raspberry marshmallow recipe is easy, fun and can be made in advance for those weekend plans. Picnic baskets at the ready.

Baby beetroot, blood orange and curd salad

As delicious as it is beautiful, this citrus infused salad is the perfect addition to your spring menu.

Whole grilled beef tenderloin with caramelised onions and gorgonzola dolce

Nothing says retro-inspired luxury like a whole fillet of beef. Danielle Alvarez’s version is an instant classic, starting with smoke from the grill and finishing with the piquancy and sweetness of gorgonzola dolce.

Cauliflower and fenugreek curry

Give vegetables the star treatment at your next dinner party with this cauliflower curry.

Morogo

This mind-altering side dish from Duncan Welgemoed’s book Africola might blow you away with its firepower, but you’ll soon be back for more – the mix of chickpeas, leafy vegetables and crazy-hot seasonings is totally addictive.

Fig, mozzarella and basil oil salad

When figs are this jammy, the only thing to do is to tear them, dress them up and turn them into your next dream salad.

Fig tarte Tatin

The tarte Tatin gets a late summer upgrade with the edition of seasonal figs. Make this beautiful simple dessert for your next dinner party.

Cashew miso cream with young vegetables

A landscape on a plate, this appetiser is more of an idea than a recipe: vegetables arranged like a sumptuous still-life, served with an umami-rich cashew cream. It’s a celebration of the art of good eating.

Sweet and sour pork

When we asked Louis Tikaram of Brisbane’s Stanley restaurant to share some of his favourite recipes to ring in the Chinese New Year, he was quick to choose this Chinese-Australian classic.

Dry-brined pork with green peppercorn sauce

We’re huge fans of brining meat, whether in a traditional wet brine or this super-simple dry version. For flavour and succulence, the technique is unsurpassed. Bonus: this recipe produces the best crackling you’ve ever tasted.

Salt-baked mud crab

A whole mud crab served in its shell – big, bold and red – is an absolute showstopper, and the salt-baking technique enhances the drama even further. If you want to start your Christmas meal with a bang, this is how to do it.

Pink grapefruit crème caramels with grapefruit & raspberry granita

What’s summer’s version of comfort food? Wobbly, creamy custards served chilled. Granita is an icy counterpoint to the crème caramel, which is made luscious with three different dairy ingredients. This is from Bill Granger’s book, Australian Food.

Dressed peas with garden herbs

In springtime, fresh peas have their moment in the sun. Elevate them from everyday side-dish to superstar status with a jumble of bright petals, leaves and herbs, and a zippy dressing.

Roasted apricots with straciatella and rosemary oil

Roasted apricots are surprisingly versatile, adding bursts of intense fruit flavour and acidity to whatever they meet, from breakfast dishes to leafy salads. In this starter they come cheek-to-cheek with fresh-tasting cream cheese and prosciutto.

Herb salad and ginger-lime dressing

There’s a surprise in every mouthful of this refreshing salad, yet the ginger-lime dressing has all the herbs singing to the same tune. The recipe is from Duncan Welgemoed’s book Africola.