Cooking

Valli Little has been creating up to 60 recipes a month for the ABC’s delicious magazine since 2001 and her previous book, 5 Nights a Week was a finalist in the 2007 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

The idea behind this volume is, according to the sub title “how to cook delicious food without really trying”. Well, I think Little has achieved her aim. The food looks stunning, is relatively easy to prepare and is loaded with good flavours.

She makes the most of helpful items such as quality pasta sauces, curry pastes, and store-bought roasted or chargrilled vegetables. These, along with a little planning and a few fresh ingredients, make it easy to produce an impressive dish, she says. “It’s just about taking a few clever shortcuts.

Valli gathers ideas from here and there. Many of the meals can be confidently produced for guests at the end of a busy day at work. Indeed, some of the salsas, accompaniments and sauces can be made the previous night.

Here’s a random sample of the fare:

• Spanish pork with orange and poppyseed salad


• Quick Italian-style roast pork


• Dukka-crusted lamb with radish tzatziki


• Rosemary lamb kebabs with lemon and olive relish


• Asian-marinated baked salmon


• Sesame salmon roulades with green papaya salad


• Vegetable terrine with tarragon and basil


• Pumpkin, goat’s cheese and onion marmalade jalousie


• Mulled-wine pears and goat’s cheese salad

There are also pasta dishes, soups, cakes, fruit desserts and the whole lovely collection, deliciously photographed by Brett Stevens, looks like the genuine article.