MEDIUM
Honey-roasted figs with yoghurt thyme ice-cream
This light, summery dessert is easy to throw together. When figs are ripe you don't want to do much to them.
In Season
EASY
Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and bottarga
You can add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes to the pasta if you like it nice and hot. I also love mixing it with sautéd tuna cubes.
MEDIUM
Roast chicken with summer vegetables
This one-tray roast couldn't be easier to prepare and the escaping juices from the tomatoes and zucchini make for a light brothy sauce.
EASY
Grape and honey creme flan
Filling a flan case with something delicious is one of the simplest pathways to an impressive dessert.
EASY
Burrata cheese with charred zucchini
Smoky, oily sardines cooked on the barbecue are a lovely match to creamy, fresh burrata and charred zucchini.
MEDIUM
Peach melba cobbler with rosewater cream
A cobbler or crumble is a really simple dessert for feeding a crowd.
EASY
Rigatoni with eggplant, capsicum and bocconcini
This simple vegetarian pasta has the colours of the Italian flag and the tastes of summer.
MEDIUM
Peach and passionfruit pavlova pots
Hey, New Zealand, we'll concede that you guys invented pavlova if you'll concede that we made it famous, okay? You know, just like Russell Crowe.
EASY
Tangy berry summer pudding
There is no simpler or more delicious dessert than a tangy summer pudding. And with all the wonderful berries in season, there is no better time to be making – and eating – it.
EASY
White peach bellini cocktails
Here' s a simple, seasonal and refreshing idea to get your romantic night or summer party started.
EASY
How to prepare (cold) oysters Kilpatrick
They might not be in fashion these days but I love a Kilpatrick oyster. This chilled version gives them a lighter twist.
MEDIUM
Rachel Khoo's no-bake praline ice-cream cake
Oven broken or don't fancy getting a sweat on in the kitchen? You can whip up this delicious dessert with just a stove top and a freezer.
EASY
Peach and plum barbecue sauce recipe
With Christmas smack-bang in the middle of barbie season, there are few more perfect gifts than a home-made barbecue sauce made from summer stonefruit.
EASY
Chicken, avocado salad with walnut vinaigrette
This super-tasty salad is perfect for a summer afternoon – just add a crisp white wine and crusty bread. If you want to make it really simple, replace the poached chicken with a bought roast chook or cooked king prawns.
MEDIUM
Fruit salad with champagne granita
Start this recipe the day before serving. If you're time-poor, use tinned peaches. And if you're flush, use fancy champers.
Sweet and sour crispy-skinned snapper
The best way to get fish skin nice and crispy is to scrape the skin with a sharp knife and pat dry with paper towel to help remove moisture. Placing a weight on it while frying helps to keep the skin in contact with the pan.
MEDIUM
Porteno's prawn and octopus salad
If you want to trick it up, replace the prawns with cooked lobster.
EASY
Mahi mahi ceviche with paw paw
This fresh and zingy dish is a cracker. The dressing is fantastic in salads and goes well with chicken and prawns.
MEDIUM
Asian-style grilled pork skewers
Straightforward to prepare, these Asian-style pork skewers with dipping sauce are full of flavour and a great way to feed guests. Marinate the meat overnight for best results.
EASY
Garlic and anchovy beef barbecue skewers
Adam Liaw: Slicing the steak thinly is the best way to ensure your skewers are tender and full of flavour. Intersperse the meat with little slices of the fat, which will render and keep the meat moist while it cooks.
EASY
Smoked salmon and cornichon pasta salad
Pasta salads should be more pasta than salad. Leave the spirals on the shelf and use an interesting pasta shape instead.