Chapter 9

Basics

A good collection of basic pantry recipes is a fabulous tool for creating really exciting dishes at home. Good sauces and dressings can form the basis of a great meal, and can also transform a simple dish into something just that little bit fancy.

A few of the recipes in this chapter feature more than once in the book — the knockout garlic aioli here works well with both the tempura mussel po boys (here) and patatas bravas (here), and the beautiful wasabi dressing here is great drizzled over tempura oysters (here) and raw tuna pizzettas (here). And then there’s Mum’s wickedly good tomato relish here — that, if you ask me, can go on just about anything.

Beautifully, many of these recipes also keep well in the fridge, so they can be made in advance and pulled out just as you need them, streamlining preparation on the day.

Use these basic recipes as a guide and don’t be afraid to adjust the spices or heat to your own taste.