CHICKPEA, SPINACH AND PUMPKIN SALAD WITH HUMMUS (AND LAMB)

Two versions of this salad - for carnivores and herbivores. I favour the sheepish version, but both are good.

CHICKPEA, SPINACH AND PUMPKIN SALAD WITH HUMMUS (AND LAMB)

OCEAN TROUT WITH ZUCCHINI FLOWERS AND SALMON ROE

I had a fitness assessment at the gym today. I was flattered that the trainer, Danielle, thought I was in remarkable shape ... for a man approaching 60. We spoke a bit about diet and I realised that even though I'm not a health nazi, I do eat quite healthily. As evidence I submit exhibit A. Lots of omega-3 goodness in this ocean trout. More goodness in the roe.  Really fresh baby green vegetables, which must be good for me. And a glass or two of Kooyong chardonnay - which I could feel doing me good with every sip.

OCEAN TROUT WITH ZUCCHINI FLOWERS AND SALMON ROE

RED EMPEROR WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

Another dead simple fish dish. Kipflers, leeks and beans roasted at a very high heat with olive oil. A salsa from roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic and chilli. A fillet of red emperor. And that's it.

RED EMPEROR WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

SOPA DEL PESCADO

Fish soup with a Mexican accent. Jewfish stock, saffron, serrano chillies, garlic, roasted onion, blackened tomatoes, coriander and chunks of local jewfish.

SOPA DEL PESCADO

ROASTED WITLOF, ASPARAGUS, PUMPKIN AND CHICKPEAS WITH TAPENADE

Love meat. But also quite a happy chap without it. This would make a dietician very happy - making sure I get my daily serves of vegetables. And a bunch of grapes in my glass for good measure.

ROASTED WITLOF, ASPARAGUS, PUMPKIN AND CHICKPEAS WITH TAPENADE

WILD BARRAMUNDI WITH SHIITAKE AND SOYA BEAN BROTH

I've previously mentioned the oh-so-polite Japanese lads at the weekly markets with a stall filled with lovely mushrooms. I bought and bowed and bought and bowed a heap of shiitakes that ended up in this rich broth - home-made fish stock, mirin, soy sauce, miso and goma-dare.

WILD BARRAMUNDI WITH SHIITAKE AND SOYA BEAN BROTH

LEMON-SMOKED SALMON SALAD

I like trying new things. Things like adding preserved lemon to a smoker to see how it works with this salmon rubbed with coriander seeds and salt. Nice enough to want to do it again. Mixed with baby rocket leaves, warm pumpkin, avocado, caper vinaigrette and coriander leaves. 

LEMON-SMOKED SALMON SALAD

ADOBO RUBBED TUNA WITH SEARED TOMATO SALSA

There's a classic technique with tomatoes that I learnt in Mexico to add flavour to salsas. Hold each tomato over a naked flame until the skin blisters and blackens, then use the tomatoes as usual - typically mixed with finely chopped onion, garlic, chillies, salt and maybe lime juice. Some salsas call for fresh chillies - jalapeño, serrano or habanero. Others are based on rehydrated dried varieties - guajillo, pasilla, pasilla de oaxaca, cascabel, chiltepin, pequin, puya. I love them all. And each is better when the tomato skins are charred in this way.

ADOBO RUBBED TUNA WITH SEARED TOMATO SALSA

BEETROOT RISOTTO WITH GOATS CHEESE

Lots of sensational beetroot around at the moment. Four of them ended up in this risotto. The first beetroot risotto I tasted was in LA in the 90s. Henry Winkler was at the next table. I was surprised to see that his leather biker jacket had been replaced by a tweed hunting jacket. Fonzie had become an old man.  The beetroot risotto that day not only tasted brilliant, but I was transfixed by the glow-in-the-dark red on my plate. I've been making beetroot risotto ever since. As usual, a rich mode-made chicken stock. This time I added a tablespoon of beetroot vinegar, which livened up the taste. Goats cheese is a perfect foil for the beetroot.

BEETROOT RISOTTO WITH GOATS CHEESE

BLUE EYE WITH ASIAN FLAVOURS

Not a pretty dish, but tasty. All the usual Asian suspects here. Soy sauce and sesame sauce, garlic, ginger chillies, fried eschallots, coriander. Some nice blue eye fillets caught on about 60 kms off the coast by a boat operating out of Southport.

BLUE EYE WITH ASIAN FLAVOURS

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH HAZELNUTS AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

Comfort food for kings. Sweated onion, a really rich chicken stock,  head of caulifower, garlic and salt cooked and puréed. Coarsely chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of white truffle oil. Voilà. As they might have said in the court of Louis XIV.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH HAZELNUTS AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

FETTUCCINE CON SUGO DI SALSICCIE

You know there's a new diet launched every week and, well, I have my doubt about most of them. They seem to be quick fixes for people who need long fixes - drastic weight loss programs for people who need an attitude adjustment as far as food goes. Now I am sure there are diets in Italy. However, I'd be surprised if anyone indulges in them. Italians have been eating carb-rich food for centuries and don't seem to be suffering. I see no reason for them to change their ways now. So here's a bowl of carbs and protein.

FETTUCCINE CON SUGO DI SALSICCIE