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.
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...
Chocolate bundt cake
Chocolate bundt cake
Rich, damp-crumbed, napped with a shiny, dark ganache that slips down the sides like candle wax. It looks far more impressive than the effort deserves—a mix of cocoa brought to... Read more...
Sticky date and ginger beer pudding with a salted butterscotch sauce
Sticky date and ginger beer pudding with a salted butterscotch sauce
She’s been a trusty favourite for over 17 years and has never failed me. I’ve spoken before about my deep love of puddings (some of you might remember @puddingclub_au ???) I think... 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...
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...
Green curry
Green curry
Green curry is the undisputed antidote to midweek fatigue. ⁠Making curry paste from scratch is a beautiful thing, but it also demands a long list of ingredients. ⁠⁠A good store-bought... 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...
Gravlax
Gravlax
This gravlax requires minimal effort, leaving you only to slice and serve on Christmas Day. It’s fresh and zesty and a perfect dish for the Australian summer. For a festive twist, this... Read more...
Pandoro Christmas tree cake
Pandoro Christmas tree cake
This Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake feels wonderfully festive.⁠ Simple yet striking, it's the perfect centrepiece to wrap up Christmas celebrations.⁠ This version is inspired by the classic Victorian sponge. The golden Pandoro... Read more...
Garlic prawn burgers
Garlic prawn burgers
Garlic prawn burgers are one of those dishes that just feel right in the summer season. Casual, uncomplicated and a little playful. ⁠Fresh and light, it's the perfect burger, without... 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...
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...
Summer puttanesca
Summer puttanesca
This is the ultimate summer time pasta. ⁠It's punchy, vibrant and quick – the perfect dish for hot days when the tomatoes are ripe, the basil fragrant, and anything beyond... Read more...
Affogato spread
Affogato spread
This affogato spread is always a talking point at the end of a great meal with friends and family. While it looks impressive, it’s really just clever assembling: a handful of... Read more...
Sashimi rice bowl
Sashimi rice bowl
Rice bowls are the ultimate dinner solution: they're simple, satisfying and endlessly adaptable.⁠⁠This sashimi rice bowl is bright and fresh with cubes of raw fish and plenty of crunch. It's... 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...
Whipped cream, ricotta, honey, and vanilla with fresh berries
Whipped cream, ricotta, honey, and vanilla with fresh berries
A favourite throw-together, after-dinner sweets is warm ricotta drizzled with honey and topped with fresh raspberries. Inspired by this, I've created a more decadent version - whipped cream, ricotta, honey,... 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...
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...
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...
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...
Prosecco and ginger ale jelly with seasonal berries
Prosecco and ginger ale jelly with seasonal berries
Prosecco and ginger ale jelly makes for a wobbly, fun centrepiece dessert filled with seasonal berries. Cheers to a great dessert, great wine, and great company! 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...
Fried zucchini flowers with honey, lemon and chilli
Fried zucchini flowers with honey, lemon and chilli
These fried zucchini flowers, drizzled with honey, lemon and chilli, embody the full summer experience.A perfect fresh and quick dish for home cooks who want something special without all the... 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...
Fish cakes with tangy tartare sauce
Fish cakes with tangy tartare sauce
These golden fish patties take the cake! Crunchy on the outside and soft in the centre, this fish cake recipe is a real crowd pleaser for the entire family. Fried until... 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...
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...
Baci di dama (hazelnut and chocolate cookies)
Baci di dama (hazelnut and chocolate cookies)
Legend has it these cookies were created by an Italian chef for royalty in the mid-1800s.The two small, round biscuits come together with a chocolate filling - a perfect kiss.Paired... Read more...
Acqua pazza, snapper cooked in crazy water
Acqua pazza, snapper cooked in crazy water
Acqua pazza, an Italian classic from the Amalfi Coast, translates to ‘crazy water,’ and it couldn’t be more fitting. This vibrant, flavour-packed broth—spiked with tomatoes, chilli, garlic, parsley, and capers—gently... Read more...
Creamy mushrooms pasta
Creamy mushrooms pasta
This velvety pasta recipe celebrates the bounty of mushroom season. You don't have to look very far to find mixed mushrooms - oyster, shiitake, king brown, enoki, and pine, to... 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...
Prawn and garlic butter pasta
Prawn and garlic butter pasta
Here is a very festive prawn and garlic butter pasta recipe for the holidays. With red and green confetti speckled through, it looks like someone has opened a Christmas cracker... Read more...
Prawn, leek, and chilli noodles
Prawn, leek, and chilli noodles
A prawn, leek, and chilli noodle dish, a mid-week staple in my mother’s kitchen, quietly ingraining itself into my own recipe repertoire over time. Read more...
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