Dan Hong’s Sichuan chicken salad with sesame dressing
A Chinese classic, this salad uses sesame paste and a spicy chilli condiment to amp up the flavour of the shredded chicken. Dan Hong shares his recipe in the book, Two Good Cookbook Two.
Prep 30 mins (plus cooling)
Cook 40 mins
Serves 4 as part of a banquet
Whole grilled beef tenderloin with caramelised onions and gorgonzola dolce
Nothing says retro-inspired luxury like a whole fillet of beef. Danielle Alvarez’s version is an instant classic, starting with smoke from the grill and finishing with the piquancy and sweetness of gorgonzola dolce.
Prep 20 mins
Cook 20 mins (plus resting)
Serves 6–8
Dry-brined pork with green peppercorn sauce
We’re huge fans of brining meat, whether in a traditional wet brine or this super-simple dry version. For flavour and succulence, the technique is unsurpassed. Bonus: this recipe produces the best crackling you’ve ever tasted.
Prep 30 mins
Cook 2 hrs
Serves 4
Raw beef with roasted rice, lime and chilli
Old-school fine dining meets 21st-century Thai glamour in this fresh take on steak tartare. Cucumber and lettuce take the place of the traditional crisp toast accompaniment, and the smoked chilli seasoning is oh-so-moreish.
Prep 15 mins
-
Serves 4 as a shared starter
Bill Granger's sticky chilli pork belly with barbecue sauce
If you want to win friends and influence people, serve them barbecued slow-cooked sticky pork belly. This recipe – from Bill Granger’s book Australian Food – is such a crowd-pleaser that you should seriously consider doubling it.
Prep 25 mins (plus freezing, chilling)
Cook 2 hrs
Serves 4
Cold Sichuan-style chicken
Hot chillies, chilled chicken and mouth-tingling Sichuan peppercorns are a potent combination, a multi-sensory experience. Serve some cooling cucumber and plain steamed rice alongside to soothe the palate.
Prep 30 mins
Cook 40 mins (plus cooling, chilling)
Serves 6-8 as a shared dish
Danielle Alvarez's slow-roasted lamb shoulder with white beans and harissa
This entire main from Danielle Alvarez's, new book, Always Add Lemon, can be prepared a day ahead, leaving you only one thing to do before your guests arrive: simply turn on the oven and let it do the rest of the work for you.
Prep 30 mins (plus soaking, resting, seasoning)
Cook 9 hrs
Serves 6
Warm duck, lychee and banana blossom salad
Not all recipes from Michelin-starred restaurants translate easily to Australian home kitchens, but this one’s a cinch. At Paste, chef Bee Satongun roasts her own duck; to save time, start with one from Chinatown.
Prep 40 mins
Cook 5 mins (plus roasting duck)
Serves 6-8
Kebabeh sikhi (Afghan lamb skewers)
These Afghan lamb skewers, from Durkhanai Ayubi’s book Parwana, are perfectly at home at an Aussie backyard barbie. Hold the tomato sauce and serve them instead with flatbread, onion and fresh herbs.
Prep time 30 mins (plus marinating)
Cook time 10 mins (plus preparing coals)
Serves 6