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.
Chocolate mousse
Chocolate mousse
Olive oil runs through my veins, and after trying an olive-oil chocolate mousse at an Italian restaurant recently, I was inspired to create my own version. This involved testing it... Read more...
Sausage and potato-top pie
Sausage and potato-top pie
I’ve been together with my husband since I was 19. I’m now 39, which means we’ve spent half our lives together. He’s been there for every stage of my cooking... Read more...
Baked beans on a baked jacket potato with grilled cheese and a jalapeño salsa
Baked beans on a baked jacket potato with grilled cheese and a jalapeño salsa
Baked beans feel like the epitome of Sunday night. A little lazy nostalgic. But homemade baked beans on a baked jacket potato finished with grilled cheese and a jalapeño salsa... Read more...
Zuppa pavese rossa
Zuppa pavese rossa
A traditional northern Italian soup, Zuppa Pavese Rossa. It’s little more than broth, a splash of passata and a piece of grilled, garlic-rubbed bread, topped with an egg and a... Read more...
Poached pears in red wine
Poached pears in red wine
Poached pears in red wine, or pere al vino rosso, may feel a little ‘90s, but good food is never about trends. There’s something undeniably beautiful about a deep purple pear,... Read more...
One-pan lasagne
One-pan lasagne
This recipe isn’t a lasagne. Instead, it borrows everything I love about one: a rich ragù, layers of pasta and plenty of bubbling cheese, while skipping the hours of simmering,... Read more...
Lemon Delicious pudding
Lemon Delicious pudding
This is my grandma’s Lemon Delicious pudding - or Dama, as I used to call her. I recently found the handwritten recipe in the little notebook I started when I... Read more...
Lentil, lemon and silverbeet soup
Lentil, lemon and silverbeet soup
This is a lentil, lemon and silverbeet soup I’ve been thinking about for almost 15 years. Café Zoe was a little café around the corner from my first job after... Read more...
Steak Diane Casserole with a buttery bowl of colcannon
Steak Diane Casserole with a buttery bowl of colcannon
The casserole dish has been passed down through generations. You know the kind. White, with vegetables printed on the front, a heavy glass lid, built to last forever. I was... Read more...
Sponge and rhubarb pudding
Sponge and rhubarb pudding
Steamed puddings may have fallen out of fashion, but I remain devoted to them. They’re far less trouble than people imagine. As a pudding tragic, I have pudding basin, but... Read more...
Creamy chicken, bacon, parmesan and greens pie
Creamy chicken, bacon, parmesan and greens pie
Few things suit a rainy winter’s weekend better than pie. A puffed treasure chest plonked in the middle of the table, its crisp, golden lid giving way to a creamy... Read more...
Miso, lime, chicken and sweet potato stew
Miso, lime, chicken and sweet potato stew
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...
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...
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...
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