How to

In some primal, totemic way, writes Frank Moorhouse, oysters are part of us – and what fine pleasure they are.

In search of the perfect pie, Brigitte Hafner braises, bakes and steams her way through a hearty and delicious line-up.

Anyone can cook pasta, but not everyone cooks it well. Brigitte Hafner shares her tricks of the nonna trade.

Whether pan-fried with onions or made into a country-style terrine, livers are goodness on a plate, writes Brigitte Hafner.

Summering in the sticks, Brigitte Hafner laments the lack of good bread and dreams of the sourdough she left behind.

Brigitte Hafner is smitten with Australian prawns, and delights in devouring them: heads, tails and all.

Brigitte Hafner delights in January’s juicy nectarines and shares her favourite ideas for cooking this heavenly fruit.

Yabbies and marrons, Australia’s favourite freshwater crayfish, are perfect for the festive table, writes Brigitte Hafner.

Caviar is a delicate hors d’oeuvre and Brigitte Hafner is discriminating in her affections for the decadent victual.

Quality flour is crucial when baking, but for Brigitte Hafner it’s old-fashioned care and skill that ensure fabulous results.

Brigitte Hafner loves cooking with live mud crabs. It’s not for the faint of heart but the rewards are great.

Brigitte Hafner falls for wild leafy greens – some peppery, some bitter, all delicious whether boiled, in pasta or in a pie.

For a special meal, nothing can match duck, writes Brigitte Hafner. And roast or confit, it’s easier to cook than you think.

Now’s the time to head to your farmers’ market for a taste of ripe apples fresh from the orchard, writes Brigitte Hafner.

In this new column, Brigitte Hafner invites us into her seasonal kitchen. For May, she’s cooking rare-breed pork.

Lamb production is pretty consistently good year-round in today's Australia, but spring lamb still has that extra cachet, so we thought we'd ask Richard Gunner, the South Australian butcher and sheep and cattle farmer who is one of the nation's authorities on the subject, for his thoughts on how to get the best out of the beast right now. Here's his cut-by-cut breakdown, from the everyday to the lesser-known.

Which cut of beef is best to flatten out and make a roulade with? By Arcanum Lisa Featherby, Gourmet Traveller food editor, answers: Last year, we ran a recipe from Journal Canteen’s Rosa Mitchell for falsomagro, a classic Sicilian stuffed beef roll. Generally, I would recommend using another cut of meat for a stuffed and rolled dish, […]

I adore baking and am currently putting in a new oven. Is gas or convection better for baking? By Rosa Lisa Featherby, Gourmet Traveller food editor, responds: All of our recipes are tested on conventional (non fan-forced) electric ovens. We find this is the best way to go for baking as the heat can be […]

I have finally made a successful hollandaise sauce, but how can I keep it warm or reheat it for a dinner party?

On occasion, I have been able to source duck eggs and have heard of their wonderful qualities for baking. So far I have made basic sponges and custards but am keen to produce something that stands out in taste and texture. Any ideas? By Mandy from Adelaide Lisa Featherby, Gourmet Traveller food editor, answers: You […]

Using secondary cuts of meat maximises flavour and texture and minimises costs. Apply a little know-how and you’ll be reaping benefits in purse and on palate.

Can I substitute pork for veal in vitello tonnato? If so, which cut would you advise? By Natalie Fox Lisa Featherby, GT food editor, writes: To start, pork has a much stronger flavour than veal and may clash a bit with the tuna sauce. It also depends on the cut you’re using and whether you’re […]

Nothing says ‘celebration’ more than a freshly cooked lobster or prawns. Seafood consultant John Susman reveals his pick of this summer’s buys.

A pea eggplant is, as you might have guessed, a very small eggplant – more the size of a large marble than a pea, in truth. They’re typically cooked whole in Thai soups and curries, and pop in the mouth when you bite them, releasing a burst of bitterness that combines nicely with richness or […]

The usual cause of crystallisation in caramel is impurities in the sugar or, more commonly, less-than-clean pans...

It's hard to substitute gluten-free flours for wheat flours in particular recipes like pasta or pastry dough and achieve the same result...

“I made the raspberry ripple and white chocolate ice-cream cake for Christmas Day. Whilst the flavour was lovely, why did it have icicles throughout it? Was it the milk in the recipe and the fact that you were asked to place cling film over the top that was the cause? It looked wonderful, but after […]

The trick to turning out crème caramel.

The difference between creams to cook with, explained.