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.
Creamy, brothy beans, roasted pumpkin, mozzarella with a crispy sage and caper topping
Creamy, brothy beans, roasted pumpkin, mozzarella with a crispy sage and caper topping
I’ve always been drawn to stews. They have an old-fashioned quality that I love, built around simple ingredients, patience, flexibility, and the sort of comfort that never goes out of... Read more...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Pumpkin and agrodolce onion Tarte Tatin
Pumpkin and agrodolce onion Tarte Tatin
Pumpkins might belong to autumn on paper, their orange flesh and tonal skins always looking the part, but I think it’s not until we hit the depths of winter that... Read more...
Stuffed rice tomatoes
Stuffed rice tomatoes
With the sun high and the days stretching longer, these herby, rice-filled tomatoes become a regular at the table. A simple summer pleasure, they capture the essence of the season in... Read more...
Tangy and crunchy salt and vinegar baked chips
Tangy and crunchy salt and vinegar baked chips
An ode to the summer. ⁠ Read more...
Ricotta and greens pie
Ricotta and greens pie
Fresh ricotta has a taste so pure and clean that I haven’t been able to forget the experience of trying it straight from the stove ever since.⁠⁠I remember standing in a... Read more...
Asparagus, pea and watercress salad with anchovy cream dressing
Asparagus, pea and watercress salad with anchovy cream dressing
If asparagus were in season all year (and as affordable as it currently is), this is the salad we’d happily eat every day for the rest of our lives.This dish... Read more...
Grilled greens
Grilled greens
These grilled greens are a revelation. They pair beautifully as a side to lamb but work as a light dinner on their own too. Read more...
Lettuce and radish salad with feta and yoghurt dressing
Lettuce and radish salad with feta and yoghurt dressing
There’s nothing better than crisp lettuce topped with this ingredient. Transform your plate to salad perfection. 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...
Potato and rosemary tart
Potato and rosemary tart
This potato tart is ­perfect on its own, but a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a drizzle of honey can be glorious additions. Read more...
Roasted tomato sauce with crunchy Italian topping
Roasted tomato sauce with crunchy Italian topping
Fresh pasta and this jammy roast tomato sauce is the perfect combo Tossing pasta through this sauce is a celeb­ration of simplicity, but these roast tomatoes are also perfect served... Read more...
Pantry bean stew
Pantry bean stew
A lifesaving recipe to have in your back pocket for cold nights after busy days. Read more...
Roast pumpkin pasta bake with burnt butter and sage
Roast pumpkin pasta bake with burnt butter and sage
Topped with mozzarella and drizzled with burnt butter, sage and capers, this dish promises to give you all the feels this autumn. Read more...
Cabbage, fennel and apple slaw
Cabbage, fennel and apple slaw
Apple and fennel are a match made in pork heaven and this salad cuts through the fattiness. Read more...
Ricotta and spinach hotcakes
Ricotta and spinach hotcakes
While nothing quite compares to Bill’s sweet ricotta pancakes, here is a ­savoury interpretation, inspired by their fluffy perfection. Read more...
Garlicky chilli greens & potato
Garlicky chilli greens & potato
Served with some crusty bread to soak up the fragrant juices, this is a meal that can solve all problems. Read more...
Zucchini ribbon salad
Zucchini ribbon salad
The walnuts are there for texture, and I can’t go past the salty, savoury hit of Parmigiano Reggiano, although a feta or goat’s cheese can be equally as pleasing. Read more...
Tomato and olive risoni bake
Tomato and olive risoni bake
A bubbling, bronzed, cheesy pasta bake needs no introduction. It’s a bestseller in our house. The addition of olives and their brine gives a further dimension to the dish. I... Read more...
Broccoli and white bean soup
Broccoli and white bean soup
There is nothing quite like the homely comfort of a bowl of soup. This one is best enjoyed while you’re rlaxing at home, savouring each slurp. Read more...
Roast vegetable ragù
Roast vegetable ragù
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...
Broadbean and mascarpone pasta
Broadbean and mascarpone pasta
This is a recipe that has a freshness and lightness to it – a spring in its step, one could say. Read more...
Spiced red lentil dahl
Spiced red lentil dahl
Be immediately cheered by this dahl’s sunny disposition, vibrant aromas and bright flavours. Read more...
Prosciutto and bitter greens flat pie
Prosciutto and bitter greens flat pie
This flat pie is an excellent savoury accompaniment for your morning break. It takes inspiration from Mattonella Palermitana, a rustic puff pastry pie from Sicily. Read more...
Lemon and artichoke potato gratin
Lemon and artichoke potato gratin
The addition of lemon, capers and artichoke takes this gratin to summery new heights. Read more...
Green broccoli pasta
Green broccoli pasta
This dish is simple but flavour packed, featuring everyday ingredients for a light and healthy mid-week meal. Read more...
Simple vinaigrette
Simple vinaigrette
Putting a little thought into something as simple as a side salad allows it to come alive. This vinaigrette will do just that. Read more...