The Weekend Australian Recipes

I have a recipe column in The Weekend Australian alongside my friends, chef Lennox Hastie and photographer, Nikki To. Our featured recipes alternate every week, with Lennox showcasing his culinary expertise while I bring the perspective of a passionate home cook. Nikki works her magic, capturing our recipes each week. Read more about Lennox and I. You can find these recipes in the paper or subscribe to The Australian.
One tray gnocchi bake
One tray gnocchi bake
A one tray gnocchi bake which lands somewhere between a tray bake and a warm salad.  Read more...
Longevity soup with olive salsa
Longevity soup with olive salsa
This recipe take inspiration from the Blue Zone diet, putting legumes and vegetables front and centre. A hearty soup dubbed “longevity soup” from Sardinia which I finish off with an... Read more...
Spiced beef meatballs, with charred Roman beans, and preserved lemon yoghurt
Spiced beef meatballs, with charred Roman beans, and preserved lemon yoghurt
Of all the ways a 10-year-old could wish to celebrate a birthday, my parents were surprised when I asked for a dinner party. And on the menu - these spiced... Read more...
Coffee, oat and chia puddings
Coffee, oat and chia puddings
Coffee, oat and chia puddings have quietly saved me. These overnight jars of creamy, caffeinated joy make me feel just organised enough to start the day. Read more...
Thai-style chicken mince in lettuce cups
Thai-style chicken mince in lettuce cups
Thai-style chicken mince, sharp and fragrant, piled into crisp lettuce cups. Read more...
A rich, vegetable-heavy pasta sauce
A rich, vegetable-heavy pasta sauce
Somewhere between ratatouille and pasta alla Norma. Read more...
Caramelised lemon and garlic, tomato butter prawns
Caramelised lemon and garlic, tomato butter prawns
A lick-your-fingers caramelised lemon and garlic, tomato butter prawns. Read more...
No-bake chocolate tart
No-bake chocolate tart
A dish worthy for your Easter table. Read more...
Give a fig while the season lasts
Give a fig while the season lasts
Have you ever lain beneath a fig tree in full fruit? It’s one of those memories I can return to instantly.Emerging back into civilisation from an off grid, tiny cabin experience... Read more...
Giant sausage rolls and a chunky apple and tomato chutney
Giant sausage rolls and a chunky apple and tomato chutney
My giant sausage rolls and a chunky apple and tomato chutney to go with it. My salute to Anzac Day cooking.I’m always hesitant to call anything “the best”, food doesn’t... Read more...
Grilled scallops with pancetta and garlic butter
Grilled scallops with pancetta and garlic butter
Grilled in their shells with garlic butter, they’re showy yet effortless, and irresistibly delicious. Here, I’ve draped a whisper-thin slice of pancetta over the top for a salty, smoky crunch;... Read more...
Butter-grilled scallops with tomato and white wine sauce and a fennel-caper breadcrumb
Butter-grilled scallops with tomato and white wine sauce and a fennel-caper breadcrumb
A romantic meal, for me, is never complete without pasta, I’ve paired the scallops with a simple tomato and white wine sauce - just enough to coat the pasta -... Read more...
Apple, honey, blueberry, lemon and cake
Apple, honey, blueberry, lemon and cake
Apple, honey, blueberry, lemon and cake made with oats, yoghurt and eggs. All the comfort of your morning oats, now in cake form. Read more...
Grilled eggplant with mint, chilli, lemon and toasted pine nuts
Grilled eggplant with mint, chilli, lemon and toasted pine nuts
For a side that fits the pace of this time of year, I can’t stop grilling vegetables, mainly eggplant and zucchini, tossed with mint, chilli, lemon and toasted pine nuts.... Read more...
Butterflied chicken drumsticks with garlic, honey butter and a pearl couscous and pickled chilli salad
Butterflied chicken drumsticks with garlic, honey butter and a pearl couscous and pickled chilli salad
Warm evenings that stretch into the night have a way of inviting company and food that’s made to share. The table moves outside, drinks are poured, and before you know... Read more...
Mint granita, poached chilli cherries and vanilla ice cream
Mint granita, poached chilli cherries and vanilla ice cream
Read more...
Christmas roast chook
Christmas roast chook
Our regular roast chook with a Christmas glow up - a festive pangratatto (parsley, pistachios, lemon and cranberries). Read more...
Ham, cherry tomato and rocket pasta
Ham, cherry tomato and rocket pasta
A simple bowl that makes the most of sweet summer tomatoes and that beautiful leftover ham. I shred the ham into bite-sized pieces so they can tangle through the tagliatelle... Read more...
Christmas Caesar
Christmas Caesar
You could call it a Christmas Caesar, though I don't like to be restricted. It uses all the stray leftovers: the salad leaves I inevitably overbuy (try not to dress... Read more...
Tomato salad with tuna, onion and crispy chilli
Tomato salad with tuna, onion and crispy chilli
This is a regular work lunch around here. Nothing complicated. Just good ingredients and your favourite crispy chilli oil. Adjust the heat to suit you. Read more...
Cucumber, peach and labneh salad with grilled bread
Cucumber, peach and labneh salad with grilled bread
I've been making this cucumber salad all summer long. While it's made more glamourous with the addition of peach, without the cucumber the whole thing would fall flat. For me,... Read more...
Glazed, bacon wrapped meatloaf
Glazed, bacon wrapped meatloaf
My glazed, bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe that I’ve been tinkering away at for years. Packed with carrot and spinach for sweetness, flavour and colour, then baked until sticky and golden.... Read more...
Spring green ricotta tart
Spring green ricotta tart
A ricotta tart scattered with spring’s green bounty, customisable with whatever you love. I can’t help but treat this tart a little like an art project, stringing vegetables across the... Read more...
Asparagus, pasta and pesto soup
Asparagus, pasta and pesto soup
A spring soup, the perfect recipe for the turning of seasons. This asparagus, pasta and pesto soup feels like a minestrone, but without the heaviness. Read more...
Grilled asparagus with whipped lemon and garlic tahini
Grilled asparagus with whipped lemon and garlic tahini
When you grill asparagus, it takes on this nutty sweetness, that’s perfectly matched with whipped tahini. A light and luxurious cloud-like-cream that’s lifted by lemon and garlic. A rather lovely... Read more...
Lamb chops with a blistered tomato, fennel and mint dressing
Lamb chops with a blistered tomato, fennel and mint dressing
Lamb chops that are bathed in a blistered tomato, fennel and mint dressing. The dressing bring a balance of sweet, fresh and savoury that makes lamb shine. Read more...
Mediterranean vegetable tray bake
Mediterranean vegetable tray bake
My Mediterranean vegetable tray bake is on weekly repeat in my kitchen, often more. Here, I’ve added a piece of fish and finished it with a lemon and chive pangrattato... Read more...
Chewy malt choc chip cookies
Chewy malt choc chip cookies
My much-talked-about chewy malt choc chip cookies. There can never be too many chewy choc chip recipes in the world, and this one is mine. Read more...
Battuto di manzo, the Piedmontese version of steak tartare
Battuto di manzo, the Piedmontese version of steak tartare
This dish relies neither on tricks or embellishment. Instead, it celebrates beautiful ingredients and the quiet confidence to let them shine. Read more...
Aglio e olio pasta with crab
Aglio e olio pasta with crab
Spaghetti is finished in garlicky chilli oil so it drinks up the sauce. I add crab and a knob of butter at the end for richness. This is quiet luxury... Read more...
The ‘ridiculously easy’ entertaining snack
The ‘ridiculously easy’ entertaining snack
This is food made for conversation - for moving around the room, topping up glasses and laughing too loudly. Generous without being grand, thoughtful without the hassle, it’s the kind... Read more...
‘Nduja seafood chowder
‘Nduja seafood chowder
My recipe for my ‘nduja seafood chowder leans on ’nduja’s deep, smoky heat, mellowed by potatoes, cream and a splash of lemon. Chowder might not be the trendiest dish going,... Read more...
Golden syrup dumplings
Golden syrup dumplings
Born from rations, when sugar was scarce and golden syrup cheap and shelf-stable. A simple dough poached in syrup and finished with a drizzle of cream. Light and pillowy, the... Read more...
Harissa-spiced pumpkin soup
Harissa-spiced pumpkin soup
I’m not quite sure you can ever really beat a pumpkin soup, here is one that’s been simmering away in my kitchen of late. I’ve bolstered the soup with carrots... Read more...
Peposo - an Italian beef stew
Peposo - an Italian beef stew
The first time I tasted Peposo, it stopped me in my tracks. So dark it was almost black, with a creeping heat from the pepper that felt like warmth returning... Read more...
Congee chicken soup with crisped chicken skin and sizzling ginger-chilli-shallot sauce
Congee chicken soup with crisped chicken skin and sizzling ginger-chilli-shallot sauce
Somewhere between congee and chicken soup, with rice simmered in stock, crisped chicken skin, and a sizzling ginger-chilli-shallot sauce over the top. That sauce is the jolt back to life. Read more...
Italian penicillin
Italian penicillin
Affectionately known in Italy as Italian penicillin — a golden, creamy broth of veg, chicken stock and time, stirred through with pastina (tiny pasta). Read more...
Pasta with ’nduja and mascarpone
Pasta with ’nduja and mascarpone
My pasta with ’nduja and mascarpone, a sauce that’s thick, silky, and coats the pasta in creamy, spicy warmth. It’s a throw-together dish, ready in the time it takes to... Read more...
Three crowd-pleasing crostini recipes
Three crowd-pleasing crostini recipes
A few of my favourite things to serve start with crostini. Small pieces of toast with thoughtful toppings. Raw fish (here New Zealand salmon, often tuna) balanced and bright. Creamy... Read more...
Baked gnocchi
Baked gnocchi
This baked gnocchi is a mid-week play on a classic Italian pasta. When romance gives way to necessity, skip making the gnocchi from scratch and add a good quality jarred... Read more...
Caramelised pear and yoghurt cake with lemon thyme syrup
Caramelised pear and yoghurt cake with lemon thyme syrup
As it bakes, the pears sink through and perfume the batter. The result? A tender, fragrant pudding-like cake that's best served with a slight tang of creme fraiche. ⁠ Read more...
Warm potato and smoked trout salad with horseradish cream
Warm potato and smoked trout salad with horseradish cream
Every year growing up, we’d head to the Burrawang Easter Market, a highlight of the NSW Southern Highlands. The main street would close, stalls lined with fairy floss, bacon and... Read more...
Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding
Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding
This is my ultimate Easter dessert—hot cross bun bread and butter pudding. I make it every year (because truly, any excuse for a seasonal bread and butter pudding). It’s full... Read more...
Old-fashioned banana slab cake
Old-fashioned banana slab cake
I love grounding ­myself with something timeless and comforting when everything else feels like it’s chasing the new. Read more...
Zesty chicken tray bake with golden, lemon-soaked potatoes
Zesty chicken tray bake with golden, lemon-soaked potatoes
Chicken and potatoes, roasting together in a hot oven, is the kind of meal that grounds you. It’s unfussy but generous, comforting without being heavy, and when everything happens in... Read more...
Custard and caramel apples
Custard and caramel apples
There’s something about cutting into the skin of a freshly cooked custard with the side of a spoon, watching the rush of creamy, yellow lava spill out, tasting of a... Read more...
Sausages and tomatoey chickpea tray bake
Sausages and tomatoey chickpea tray bake
“I feel it’s almost an obligation, as your resident home cook and fellow weeknight scrambler, to say despite the viral and beautifully plated recipes we’re bombarded with, dinner doesn’t always... Read more...
Comforting chicken stew
Comforting chicken stew
The mood calls for meatballs. But not like you know them. These ones are poached, so they stay soft and bouncy. They slip into a pot of brothy beans and... Read more...
1 2 3 4 Next »