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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Slow cooked lamb shoulder and tomato, cheesy potato topped pie
Slow cooked lamb shoulder and tomato, cheesy potato topped pie
A slow cooked lamb shoulder filling oozing with rich tomatoey gravy, blanketed in a duvet of cheesy, cloud-like, golden mashed potato pie. My favourite part is where the two meet... Read more...
Fragrant ­lemongrass and lime leaf pork patties
Fragrant ­lemongrass and lime leaf pork patties
These fragrant ­lemongrass and lime leaf pork patties are a nod to bun cha.⁠⁠While it might not be quite the same as sitting on a street corner in Vietnam, this... Read more...
Vietnamese vermicelli noodle salad
Vietnamese vermicelli noodle salad
Vibrant, fresh and perfectly balanced, cold vermicelli noodle salad is an interactive and endlessly customisable summer meal.⁠ Pair it with fragrant ­lemongrass and lime leaf pork patties, a nod to... Read more...
Yoghurt and olive oil chicken thighs with green hero sauce
Yoghurt and olive oil chicken thighs with green hero sauce
These yoghurt and olive oil chicken thighs are juicy, tender and jazzed up with a ‘green hero sauce’. Pile high onto a platter and serve alongside a beautiful spread. Read more...
Posh ‘pigs in a blanket’
Posh ‘pigs in a blanket’
Crispy, salty, fatty, sweet. These sausages are given a whole new life when wrapped in pancetta and topped with fresh herbs.But it’s the secret finishing touch that takes them to... Read more...
Lamb and spring pea salad
Lamb and spring pea salad
This lamb and spring pea salad is the joy of seasonal cooking: taking a few ingredients that are enjoying their seasonal heyday, and letting them shine.Grilled Aussie lamb draped over... Read more...
Chicken Maryland
Chicken Maryland
This lovely Chicken Maryland is braised in white wine and chicken stock with the addition of new season grapes and butter to give it a rich, luxurious sauce.The meat becomes... Read more...
One-tray chicken bake with a Spanish twist
One-tray chicken bake with a Spanish twist
When the midweek rush hits, this is the perfect recipe for a quick and easy dinner. Some dishes demand attention and care, but the reality is we can’t cook like... Read more...
Italian beef and sausage, bay leaf skewers
Italian beef and sausage, bay leaf skewers
On a recent trip to Rome, I was reminded of my love for spiedini, Italian for skewers, which vary depending on family recipes, seasonality, or simply personal tastes.My version involves thinly... Read more...
Salsa verde lamb patties and charred tomatoes on buglar wheat
Salsa verde lamb patties and charred tomatoes on buglar wheat
These are bright, punchy, and completely capable of lifting any mood. I make a rough salsa verde sauce and stir it straight through the mince, shape it into little patties,... Read more...
Chicken noodle salad with a fiery, zesty green sesame sauce
Chicken noodle salad with a fiery, zesty green sesame sauce
A fiery, zesty green sesame sauce drizzled over ramen noodles, edamame beans, avocado, and chicken to create a satisfying salad, but truth be told, its deliciousness knows no bounds. Read more...
Prosciutto and bitter greens flat pie
Prosciutto and bitter greens flat pie
This prosciutto and bitter greens flat pie is an excellent savoury accompaniment for your morning break. It takes inspiration from Mattonella Palermitana, a rustic puff pastry pie from Paloma in... Read more...
Cider-braised pork shoulder with apples and onions
Cider-braised pork shoulder with apples and onions
A fall-apart, slow-braised pork shoulder that slowly cooks in apple cider alongside apples and red onions. It is best ladled over creamy mash, with steamed greens on the side and... Read more...
Osso buco
Osso buco
Osso buco is indeed one of the great slow cooked dishes. I hope you like my version. I serve mine bianco style, without tomatoes, as I prefer this lighter version... Read more...
Saturday Sauce
Saturday Sauce
The aroma of a rich, tomato ragu simmering all day on the stove makes me feel like everything is right in the world. So, I was delighted to hear about... Read more...
Lamb chops, chickpea, honey and fennel tray bake
Lamb chops, chickpea, honey and fennel tray bake
These lamb loin chops bring all the flavour without the hassle. This recipe adapts the classic tray bake concept to tender pieces of lamb served on a bed chickpeas, fennel, marinated... Read more...
Panko-crumbed chicken and cabbage salad
Panko-crumbed chicken and cabbage salad
I’m doing something a little different for your Mother’s Day menu this year. ⁠⁠Mother’s Day recipes tend to fall into this familiar rhythm: something for a slow morning, something for... Read more...
Cheese stuffed meatballs
Cheese stuffed meatballs
Try this big pot of meatballs that will make you happy This is simple yet satisfying – a testament to the beauty of unpretentious cooking. Read more...
My chicken Saltimbocca
My chicken Saltimbocca
An Italian chicken dish your nonna would love. Read more...
Vongole and guanciale fregola
Vongole and guanciale fregola
Embrace the onset of summer with this Italian-inspired easy, breezy vongole dish . If you close your eyes you could easily be at the seaside. Read more...
Humble country chicken pie
Humble country chicken pie
This is one of those humble, country-style pies that is equivalent to a big hug. Think loaded gravy, juicy chicken and crisp puff pastry. Read more...
Lamb and barley stew
Lamb and barley stew
The ‘unfashionable’ stew made for winter eating A lamb and barley stew might not be trendy, but I’m here to remind you of its enduring appeal. Read more...
Pork cotoletta with burnt butter, capers & sage
Pork cotoletta with burnt butter, capers & sage
This is not your standard pork chop As with all delicious things, you’ll find versions of crumbed meat in almost every corner of the world. Cotoletta, an Italian dish, will... Read more...
One tray chicken, potato, olive, tomato tray bake
One tray chicken, potato, olive, tomato tray bake
This simple chicken dish will become a household staple Add this recipe to your repertoire and enjoy as a midweek meal or a ­spectacular centrepiece at your next dinner party.... Read more...
Chicken cacciatore
Chicken cacciatore
This recipe is based on chicken cacciatore, an Italian dish from the Renaissance period that ­translates as ‘hunter’s stew’. Enjoy it with peppery rocket and creamy polenta. Read more...
Braised sticky pork with ginger and star anise
Braised sticky pork with ginger and star anise
  Sweet and sticky pork dish packed with flavour. It’s not particularly glamorous eating, but is sure to deliver high satisfaction at the dinner table. Read more...
Brothy pea and ham pasta
Brothy pea and ham pasta
This one-pan dish sits between a warming bowl of soup and a comforting bowl of pasta. I love frozen peas, especially in the depths of winter. Their very existence makes... Read more...
Sausage and broccoli pasta
Sausage and broccoli pasta
Broccoli and sausages are a match made in heaven. The milk in this dish ties it together, resulting in a creamy pasta that won’t leave you needing a lie down... Read more...
Butter and anchovy pasta
Butter and anchovy pasta
This would have to be the pasta dish I cook most often for myself. It’s quick to prepare, comes together with a few ingredients that I always have on hand,... Read more...
Umami-rich chicken noodle soup
Umami-rich chicken noodle soup
A chicken noodle soup recipe is as classic as they come. The results of slow-cooking a whole chicken can’t be beaten, but when time is short using breast meat hits the spot.... Read more...
Pork and fennel ragu
Pork and fennel ragu
Few sights lift the spirits like a pot of slowly cooked ragu, especially the way it blips away on the stove, filling the house with an aroma to make your... Read more...
Our Christmas menu
Our Christmas menu
Lennox Hastie and Elizabeth Hewson combine their skills for a very Australian Christmas feast featuring a moreish potato salad and a show stopping take on the classic turkey. Read more...
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