Andrew McConnell

There are no secrets to caponata. It’s a classic vegetable combination of sweet currants, sourness from the vinegar, rounded off with pine nuts. The sweet-sourness points towards Sicily. The flavour balance is in the nuances. And like all recipes, what …

Puddings, and steamed puddings in particular, are not cooked that much anymore. The texture can scare people. Suet turns people off, too, and so I have left it out of this recipe. Puddings can also take longer to cook than other desserts, but I think …

The interest in heirloom vegetables in recent years has produced more interesting pumpkins. It’s no longer just about Queensland blues, butternut and Kent – which are beautiful to eat but can lack variety. At the restaurants we often get a selection …

In essence a rissole is mincemeat, usually beef or pork, sometimes with onion, sometimes with carrot, sometimes with both. In England, a rissole at the local chippy usually consists of corned beef that has been mashed with onion and potato, formed into …

On a recent summer holiday, in a town where there was no good bread to be had, I realised I had to start making focaccia again. This recipe uses plain flour – options were limited in the town – and basically requires no kneading. It’s quick and …

I think pilaf – or a concept of a pilaf – is something I cook at home as often as I would a bowl of pasta. It can be as quick and simple or as complex, layered and arduous as you wish. This version is a happy medium. Pilaf originated in Persia. I’ve …

This recipe is from Sicily. Like a lot of old recipes, it has a great story behind it. It is named after a small bird, similar to a finch, that feeds on wild figs. Beccaficos were considered a delicacy by Palermo’s nobility and were stuffed with their …

This recipe is about my never-ending quest to perfect the chocolate cake. I think it’s one of the more temperamental cakes, which is why I want to master it. I often get caught up or hooked on a specific recipe at different times. I’ve been through …

Recently, I watched sport more than I ever have: the Olympics on two consecutive days. It was actually a nice thing to do with the kids, to watch the Australians, and the gymnastics, and the unfortunate Japanese pole vaulter. It was the first time we’ve …

“Tiramisu has a somewhat naff mass appeal – it’s a homely dessert that should be for everyone but the addition of raw egg, coffee and alcohol excludes children and some people from the pleasures. Bringing together two things that complete every meal …”

“This recipe comes from the experience of standing in pintxos bars in the Basque country and eating cold seafood marinated in vinegar. There is something very hospitable about a bar top loaded with morsels of seasonal food. It’s up there with my favourite …”

“The most frequent question I get from friends and diners is how to cook a piece of steak. There’s no foolproof recipe or technique. You have to be responsive to the cut, because there are so many variables – how long it’s been aged, the cut, the …”

“The thing I like about it was that the ratio of meringue to cream was more pleasing than the conventional version. The positive outcome of rolling a pavlova with its filling is about the change in texture. The crust breaks down and becomes lovely and …”

“This is the most foolproof way I have found of cooking a turkey for Christmas. In this recipe, I try something festive without the struggle of wrestling a whole bird, usually too large for the oven. I’ve taken a fillet, wrapped it in streaky bacon to …”

“I think it’s probably relevant to talk about the weather. Summer’s here and the sunshine is a good excuse for mussels. These mussels are in a green chilli paste that I first started using on octopus in the restaurant. I’ve adjusted the recipe, deleting …”

“When you wish to roll the pastry tart, lightly butter the form. Remove the pastry from the fridge, shape into a four-centimetre roll and slice into one-centimetre thick disks. Place the disks in a fish-scale pattern in the base of the tart form. Using …”

“The flavours that I’ve used for this recipe are vaguely Moorish. I’ve been obsessed with the flavour combination of quail and pistachios since eating a quail flatbread served with yoghurt and pistachio nuts at a restaurant in London named Moro. That …”

“This is a great example of a recipe that can really highlight the quality of chocolate. Too often, chocolate gets piled up with other flavours. Here you really taste the nuance – the different notes in the chocolate. Because it’s cooked at a lower …”

“The warmer weather is not the only indicator of spring. For me, the sign that spring is here is the appearance of certain vegetables. Broad beans represent the season perfectly, and always find a place on the menu when they’re available.”

“A key flavour that makes a kebab a kebab is the coals it is cooked on. The wood infuses the meat with its greatest character. The concept of dicing the meat into two-centimetre cubes means there is more surface to take on the flavour of the coals and …”

“What brought me to cook this for the page was stumbling across these perfect little cauliflowers in the local vegetable shop. These, roasted with a knob of butter and a good pinch of salt, were quite possibly the nicest thing I’ve eaten this winter.”

“In essence, pilaf is rice that is cooked in a broth. Many rice-producing countries have their own version of this. The name is borrowed from the Turkish pilav. Served straight from the pot to the table, the pilaf can be quite a dramatic ritual.”

“What makes the live scallop quite spectacular is not just the sweetness and freshness of the flavour but also the firm texture. When we clean the scallops we release the muscle and remove the lid, leaving the muscle and entrails intact. The muscle is …”

“The most essential thing about cooking pasta is timing. My other rule with cooking pasta is to take the recommended cooking time and subtract two minutes.”

“Nduja, the ingredient du jour across the country for the past 12 months, is popular for good reason. It’s spicy as hell, highly seasoned and it packs a punch. A little goes a long way. ”

“One of the most practical things to do with a pumpkin, I believe, is to simply roast it. This is the best way to bring out its flavour. Roast pumpkin is simple but can be easily spoilt, and some varieties work better than others. ”

“Crème brûlée is not really a difficult recipe and not overly challenging to master. Understanding the temperature of your oven helps, as does removing the custard from the oven just as it sets. Left too long in the oven it will slowly start to curdle. …”

“These dumplings are quite rich and cheesy. They would be too much with a rich ragout. I like the simplicity of burnt butter and sage with this dish but, if you wanted to add to it, some blanched broccolini or grilled ribbons of zucchini could be turned …”

“I don’t know where the idea for upside-down things came from in the kitchen, but there is magic and theatre about it, inside out and upside down. I like the way you almost make something backwards and then it reveals itself at the end.”

“Brisket is a favourite braising cut. Depending on the breed, it is usually well marbled and contains plenty of interconnective tissue, which transforms into a lovely gelatinous mass. Don’t attempt this if you are in a rush, though. ”

“I’ve been making these dumplings for a while now. The recipe has been tested, developed and workshopped – more than most of the recipes I cook – and it is a recipe of which I am really proud. I was quite particular about how I wanted it to taste …”

“The real name for this is castagnaccio, which I can’t pronounce responsibly so I call it chestnut cake. It’s a recipe I first encountered in Italy quite a few years ago and enjoyed immensely.”

“The dehydrated beetroot in this salad is an attempt to achieve a chewy, gummy bear-like texture. I don’t own a dehydrator at home, so I turn my oven down really low and put the beetroot in for the afternoon. This does more than alter the texture: it …”

“There are various techniques to achieve the perfect, ear-like shape, with its smooth indentation and the cracked surface to hold sauce, but I won’t go into them here. The one I recommend involves the corner store. The shape of the pasta is a perfect …”

“Traditionally, Brussels sprouts were boiled or steamed for an inexplicably long time. This gave them a grey tinge and a bad name. But then we started treating them with a bit of dignity and bacon, and life was good again.”

“Quality rollmops make themselves known the instant you open the jar. The smell should be briny but not too bracing. Good delicatessens should have herrings imported directly from Scandinavia and I wouldn’t make this without a proper pickled herring.”

This potato cake of sorts is layered and slowly cooked. It can be pre-prepared and warmed later in wedges or as a large puck that can be sliced at the table. Cutting the whole thing into wedges and roasting in individual servings yields a crisp golden wedge.

I never tire of this recipe. I started cooking it when I started my apprenticeship. It was one of the first things I learnt to cook. This week in the restaurant we cooked the same recipe as a snack at the bar. Admittedly, the one I cooked 25 years ago used local cheddar. The one we cooked this week used 18-month-aged Gruyere de comté.

For years, not much had changed in the onion world. That was until last year, when the cipollini onion arrived. These sweet little onions are tender and not as astringent as their cousins. They also have a lovely squat shape.

I think it’s good to get away from contemporary desserts – gelatines, contemporary flavours. This dessert has its origin in the Middle Ages, and began as a warm milk drink. Eventually it evolved into a dessert that was curdled, often with alcohol. There are other iterations where almonds and egg yolks have been used to thicken the milk or cream. In this recipe, though, the thickening agent is also the flavouring agent: lemon juice.

Steak tartare is a very important part of the classic French bistro. Often horse is used. Personally, I prefer the beef. I’ve eaten quite a few versions, using various cuts of meat. I’ve seen it with an aged piece of beef, but I prefer to use fresh cuts. The tenderness is not an issue because you’re dicing the meat anyway, and you add so many flavours that the ageing becomes kind of redundant.

One of the best ways to cook zucchinis is over coals. I usually split them down the middle and cook them on the cut side only. I cook them until they are al dente, if that term can apply to more than pasta. I season the cut side for 15 minutes before I put them on the coals, and then cook until they are golden. From there, they can be sliced and dressed with most vinegars and any manner of European herbs.

Racks of lamb for spring, with a northern Chinese twist.

A timeless classic – just don't open the sun-dried tomatoes.

Exotic salads that transport the flavours of the Middle East and Asia.

From breakfast to dessert to hangover cure, French toast ticks all the boxes.

A delicious dessert with a very honest name.

Talking Turkey with a tasty seafood sensation.

Give peas a chance with the rich flesh and clean flavour of raw tuna.

The snack that ticks all the boxes when it comes to flavour, texture and balance.

A new spin on an old fast-food favourite.

Meet gazpacho’s slick city cousin – velvety smooth almond soup.

Used sparingly, horseradish can be a welcome and delicate addition to raw fish dishes.

Homemade pickles add an acid tang to many dishes.

A delicious cake with an extra special edge.

There’s no reason not to have a vegetarian barbecue.

Don’t be put off by the preparation – an artichoke is a delicate and delicious delight.

Enjoy the pop from pearls of indigenous finger limes.

Graduating from Pancake Parlour.

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for some it’s bloody marvellous.

Why you can never use too many herbs.

Live like a tycoon with this little slice of heaven.

Add some spice to fried rice with this juicy, succulent chicken.

A sensational vegetarian salad – with just a hint of flower power.

The timeless Proustian confection, with a lemon twist.

A Shanghai surprise of tender and full-flavoured pork ribs.

The best sausage rolls outside of a country bakery.

The perfect accompaniment to a sharp cheese course.

A Spanish tortilla to start the day.

Nice and easy, rich and cheesy dumplings.

A perfect rich, wintertime dessert.

The sweet and savoury appeal of chicken livers.

Here’s what all the fuss is about.

An election special: a soufflé that rises twice.

How to transform the quintessential pub dish at home.

Why sweet and sour doesn’t have to be sticky and icky.

A lesser known mud crab dish with Singaporean spice.

A renowned go-to recipe from Nice.

Guaranteed to sate the most passionate chocoholic.

A meaty Italian classic.

A dessert designed for comfort, with just a hint of spice.

Fight the winter blues with the fortifying qualities of barley.

Summer’s gone but salads are timeless.

A dish that needs no reinvention: bangers and mash.

Delicious flatbread with toppings for brunch, or just brushed with olive oil.

The satisfaction of making your own yoghurt.

The fleshy pleasures of steamed whole fish.

Roasting a cauliflower, Japanese style.

Take a trip to Eastern Europe with aromatically stuffed roast chicken.

Make your own fresh English muffins for breakfast.

The secret to a Spanish pot custard.

What better than a glass of cool gazpacho to celebrate a beautiful summer past?

There is no substitute for fresh, simple pesto.

The simple, rustic charm of a summer seafood salad.

Planting the seeds of perfect summer dishes.

A well-built hamburger is a beautiful thing.

The textural delights of perfect panna cotta.

The perfect Christmas ham … with a cherry on top.

Grown-up raspberry recipes for the young at heart.

Bottarga and summer salads.

The fresh flavours of grilled quail with green mango salad.

Summer’s here and the time is right … for cooling, tangy desserts.

The perfect start to the day.

More than just a schnitzel, tonkatsu makes the perfect Japanese sandwich.

Enjoy a taste of Italy with a modern twist on bagna càuda.

Succulent and simple hot smoked salmon.

The welcome return of an old-fashioned English dessert.

Dip in to some delicious Mexican fare.

Unveiling the hidden beauty of celeriac.

From an almost bare pantry comes a spontaneous treat.

A delicious lamb roast, and the secret of great peas.

The rustic comfort of a quick, easy and delicious omelette.

The simple pleasure of an Italian flourless chocolate cake.

Throw away the can opener. These baked beans are the real deal.

From a Hong Kong hole in the wall to high art.

Two twists on the classics: cauliflower and curd, and reimagining the Waldorf.

The earthy pleasure of truffles in a winter's tart.

Need a little pick me up? You can't go past tiramisu.

Making pork belly an excuse for a salad.

A journey through the pasta.

Dip into squid ink for flavour, not just shade.

Winter comfort with corned beef hash and hasselback potatoes.

Brew up a cuppa and enjoy the creamy wonders of quince and almond cake.

The slow-cooked splendour of a cassoulet.

The light delights of chocolate eclairs.

The creeping appeal of good, old-fashioned pumpkin.

The comforting delights of French toast.

Swim into winter with the perfect pickled fish.

The buttery, sugary delights of Brittany's famous kouign-amann.

Tender leeks combined with romesco sauce? Olé!

Simple but comforting coq au vin.

Poached quince adds vitality to winter porridge.

Why not take a famous recipe, then make it even better.

The humble loaf.

An delicate and delicious new take on a corner shop staple.

Take the flavour of heirloom carrots, and reference them back to an heirloom recipe.

The secret to cooking the perfect steak.

An end-of-season fruit surplus means sauce is ripe for the making.

Crack open a superb lamb roast.

Love a Cherry Ripe? Then this is the cake for you.

The Indonesian classic gets a fresh makeover.

Looking for something delicate and delicious? We've got it all wrapped up.

Summer fun with short and sweet zucchinis

The heart of a good house party is always in the kitchen. In better weather, it moves outdoors to the barbecue. People gravitate there, doling out advice on the best way to grill anything. The added attraction of watching meat grill, and the anticipation …

Now's the time to embrace summer stone fruits with a passion.

Christmas comes but once a year – and with it an almighty spread.

Fancy a quick dip? And a delicious cocktail to go with it?

Find inspiration with these light and healthy seafood salads.

A Thai twist on the tomato salad

Don't be a sucker – learn how to cook fresh octopus.

Blend complementary textures and flavours to create not just a salad, but a perfect, complete meal.

Savoury Japanese dashi stock to warm your cockles (or your fish).

Discover the meaning of piquancy with preserved lemons.

The best hangover cure in town.

Fresh is truly best when it comes to sumptuous seafood stew.

You don't have to be a Britney fan to truly love these spears.

Subtlety is best when it comes to savouring crab.

Meet the film stars of the thistle world – artichokes.

Raspberry jelly and chocolate cookies turn kitchen time into child's play.

Looking for the perfect place to start in the kitchen? Reach for the garlic.

Broadly speaking, there's no finer bean.

An Arabic breakfast classic.

The perfect way to share a joint. Of slow-roasted lamb, that is…

Enjoy the delights of a Nordic favourite.

Looking for something soft and giving? Then try this tart with a heart.

A wintry Penang curry pick-you-up, with oxtail.

From the refined to the rustic, soups deliver the goods.

It may not be quick and easy, but choucroute garnie is a true celebration of winter.

The most popular dish at the Builders Arms Hotel

The right potato for the right job

What's the quintessential Australian dish? Meringue with passionfruit, of course.

If you love breaking the rules, you’ll love making Irish stew.

I like cooking in winter. I like winter food. I think that comes from growing up in Victoria – I always had four distinct seasons. One of the things I like, when it is cold, is just turning the oven on to cook. A happy quirk of nature is that things …

The simplicity of traditional steamed puddings.

Want a dependable, welcoming dish that always delivers? Try fish pie.

The universal pleasure of roasting duck at home.

What better treat to serve Mum on Mother's Day than crème caramel.

The hottest new food trend going round? It's toast.

An old-fashioned favourite gets a spicy twist.

Mastering the age-old traditions of aioli and mayonnaise

Elevating the humble cabbage to its rightful place at the table.

Treated sweetly, rhubarb delivers great desserts.

The simple truths behind the best roast chicken.

Shanghai surprises.

Pierre Hermé is a fourth-generation pastry chef. Originally from Alsace, he is now chef patron of a series of Paris’s best pastry shops. No other people take their food as seriously as Parisians, and Hermé is food royalty to the French, a national …

“Generally in Australia we get anchovies similar to the European variety but, in total, there are about 140 species in the anchovy family. ”

Two salads full of rich autumnal colour.