WOK TOSSED CHICKEN WITH EGGPLANT AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Somehow the flavours are quintessentially Chinese - but this isn't a Chinese recipe. Baby eggplants were fried in peanut oil, then shiitakes were added, sweet black soy ans light soy sauces, a tablespoon of tamarind paste, black vinegar, chilli bean paste and garlic and the whole lot cooked until the mushrooms and eggplant was soft, then a half cup of home-made chicken stock and slices of chicken breast. This was heated through. Roasted peanuts and fried pork skin to finish.

WOK TOSSED CHICKEN WITH EGGPLANT AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

HERBED BLUE EYE WITH SILVERBEET AND PURPLE CONGO MASH

If asked to nominate my favourite food colour, it would be black. There isn't enough black food, but what there is looks spectacular. Squid ink makes a brilliant risotto and a pretty good pasta. Black truffle is pure eroticism. Even the humble black pudding can be sublime - as anyone who has tried the Bistro Moncur version with caramelised apple will know. Another rare food colour is purple. About the best example of purple food is the purple Congo potato. It has to be boiled in its skin, otherwise the colour will bleed. Once cooked and drained, you can then mash it with good butter (such as Lurpak). I used a mix of butter and quark, a creamy rich cheese similar to cottage cheese. Silverbeet is in season here and I rinsed, dried and then gently sautéed torn leaves in olive oil with a little garlic. The slow cooking ensured that the leaves remained bright green and there was none of the wateriness that you can get with carelessly cooked silverbeet. The blue eye was caught last night about 60 kms off the coast by a fishing boat that operates out of Southport. Our local fishmonger is a mate of the fisherman and returned with these fish a couple of hours before I bought this fish. I was about to write that the only way it would be fresher would be if I caught it myself - but that would be a lie. For starters, I don't own a fishing boat, and a boat is a fairly handy gadget if you want to go fishing 60 kms off the coast. So I'll leave it up to others to catch my fish for me.

HERBED BLUE EYE WITH SILVERBEET AND PURPLE CONGO MASH

JEWFISH WITH SMASHED DUTCH CREAM POTATO AND PICKLED FENNEL

This is a dish for retirees. It's all beige. There was some greenery out of the picture - about the same colour green as a bowling green - but what's on the plate here is beige on beige on beige. I think I'll go pour myself a glass of something beige from Scotland.

JEWFISH WITH SMASHED DUTCH CREAM POTATO AND PICKLED FENNEL

BLUE EYE WITH BASIL AND MINT SALAD

Blue eye trevalla used to be called cod in some parts of Australia. Anyone who's seen a cod (and in the case of one local fishing legend, kissed a cod) will know that cod have big lips. Big as Kerry Packer's. Big as a collagen victim's. Maybe not as big as Mick Jagger's. I'm not sure what colour eyes cod have, but I'm guessing not blue. Anyway, I've simply called the species blue eye and you can add cod, trevalla, Arian, bus driver or any other noun you like. A salad bursting with Thai tang - chilli, grated galangal, lime juice, fish sauce, lots of lemongrass, purple eschallots, basil, mint and roasted peanuts.

BLUE EYE WITH BASIL AND MINT SALAD

BARBECUED LAMB RUMP WITH PUMPKIN AND AIOLI

A great marinade for lamb - smoked paprika, ground chilli, coconut vinegar and ground roasted cumin seeds. the flavours intensify over the flames of a fire. This was served with a salad of mixed baby greens - which relieved the monotony of warm colours on the plate - but not before I took this shot.

BARBECUED LAMB RUMP WITH PUMPKIN AND AIOLI

SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON-SMOKED SALMON, ROE AND BABY SPINACH

I have written previously of my love of smoky flavours. Maybe I was a pyromaniac in a previous life. Or a fireman. Tonight I sipped a couple of Ardbeg whiskies before dinner - because I love the smoky peat of Islay whiskies, and Ardbeg especially. And then I cooked up this pasta made with salmon I smoked over preserved lemon, rice and sugar. All I need now is a good cigar - in front of an open fire.

SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON-SMOKED SALMON, ROE AND BABY SPINACH

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