Alison Lambert

Lemons and fennel are in season and they make a perfect partnership. This subtle combination works beautifully on its own as a light dinner or will accompany seafood, pork and lamb.

Although it is starting to warm up and there are signs of new life everywhere, spring can be a tricky time regarding seasonal fare.

Cauliflower is very versatile and soaks up flavours.  I love simple dishes, such as this one, as they make for a light dinner, wonderful side or a delicious salad.

I don’t know why I haven’t done this before! These cabbage crisps have a slight nutty flavour and will take on a dusting of seasoning to lift them to another level.

Polenta, laden with butter and cheese, is the ultimate comfort food.  Here, I have simply adorned it with mushrooms, more cheese and, of course, slivers of fresh fragrant truffles.

Talk about being super excited and forever grateful on getting my hands on a fresh local perigord black truffle from Bannockburn, Central Otago. 

Salads like this are fabulous as you bring together flavours, textures and combinations that surprise.

Recipes that only use the florets of broccoli are great as you can get two dishes from the one vegetable.

The stalks of broccoli make a delicious salad — they are crunchy and nutritious and, perhaps best of all, you are not wasting any part of the vegetable.

Winter adorns our menus with more comforting dishes and flavours that mingle together nicely.

Salads need never get boring, as seasonal ingredients are just that — seasonal! Winter brings delicious flavours and textures which go great with grains. Don’t forget to add a punchy dressing.

This recipe is a classic and one that works perfectly with the cooler weather. Sometimes you just want something cheesy and comforting — this ticks all the boxes.

Potatoes are one of my go-to comfort foods. This simple dish works for brunch, lunch or dinner and to top it all off, you only need one pan!

The season is upon us for comfort food and cauliflower cheese needs to make a comeback as it can be a show-stopper!

Now this is a serious slaw combining some robust, nutritious ingredients. When using such ingredients you need to complement them with a tangy, punchy dressing.

Carrots and fragrant fennel make the perfect combination — sweet, savoury  and aromatic.

Pears never let you down as they are sweet and juicy and by adding them to your cake the results are sumptuous and moist. This cake is so delicious it could easily pass for a dessert.