Vanessa Austin

Cabbage with sake, brown butter crumbs and bacon recipe - Heat a large casserole over high heat, add butter and swirl pan until butter is foaming and nut brown (2-3 minutes), then pour into a heatproof bowl.

Similar to doughnuts, these French treats are made with a pastry dough similar to choux, which means a light and airy texture contrasted by the crunch of the glaze.

Inspired by a Berber dish eaten in Morocco, this fragrant omelette is a wonderful twist on a cornerstone of modern cooking.

Have this chilling in the fridge so it’s set to be served over ice when you’re ready. It’s great at brunch and it would also be excellent frozen in popsicle moulds.

A quick and easy fragrant paste made with ginger and turmeric can turn a simple stock into a fragrant broth that’s perfect with mussels, a few pieces of fish or both.

Very ripe tomatoes make all the difference in our okra, eggplant and turmeric stew. Serve with bread or on a grilled fillet of fish.

This northern Thai-style Chiang Mai curry is flavoured with ginger as well as turmeric. It’s slightly sour and deliciously light.

This simple spiced coconut sauce adds a lot of flavour to barbecued prawns (or fish or chicken, for that matter). Vietnamese mint gives a beautiful lift, but this dish works just as well with other mints.

Desserts in the ’70s were all about Black Forest cake and cheesecakes. We figured a combination of the two could only be a good thing. Instead of the cornflour thickened fruit topping of earlier eras, we’ve opted for lush roast cherries. This can be made well in advance, so it’s the entertainer’s friend.

We loved chilled soups at dinner parties in the '70s. Their do-ahead ease still offers plenty of appeal to the entertainer. The secrets to success? Vibrant flavours, generous seasoning and thorough chilling. No one likes a tepid soup.