These cleverly designed novelty cookies came from the creative hand of cake decorator and owner, Denin from Spoon and Fork in Croydon, NSW

The dishes for this evening’s Father’s Day dinner were inspired by recipes from the Jerusalem cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Their combination of spices, fresh herbs and clearly explained cooking methods manage to make even the most basic of ingredients, abundant in flavour and aroma. This is full flavoured home cooking, with colours and textures that will capture the attention of even the littlest family member sitting enthusiastically at the dinner table surrounded by siblings, parents and perhaps extended family members and friends. 

Cauliflower has a sweetness that is enhanced when roasted and this Warm Sweetly Roasted Cauliflower Salad demonstrates this perfectly. If the thought of eating this creamy veg causes you to wrinkle your nose and turn away, then please think again. Over-boiled, dull looking cauliflower synonymous with school canteen lunches and poor cooking techniques of the past, is not appetising but this is deliciously different. Roasting in a hot oven gives the outer edges of the florets a light crispy texture and the allspice and cinnamon add a comforting, nutty sweetness. It can be eaten warm, or refrigerated and eaten cold later on. 

I’m always on the lookout for a new way to cook fish that does not involve hours of preparation or long distance shopping trips to source exotic ingredients. In the Jerusalem cookbook, white fleshed fish is combined with turmeric, cumin, lemon, dill, coriander, caraway seeds, paprika, parsley and even honey and currants – all ingredients that are readily available in large supermarkets and well stocked fruit and veggie stores. My version, Gently Spiced Fish Fillets, was combined with crispy roasted potatoes in butter and olive oil which my children snaffled up in record time. I’m especially looking forward to trying the little minced fish kebabs and patties described in this cookbook as a welcome change to the usual beef or lamb hamburgers and meatballs. 

Tabbouleh is a favourite salad in our household and disappears so quickly when served up that I am relieved the chopping of the parsley was done with a food processor and not by hand. The recent Sydney showers have resulted in an especially lush parsley patch. Actually it’s so lush that I could easily supply local cafes with fresh organic parsley should the need arise. I follow the recipe from Moro cookbook and often add some finely diced cucumber if it has managed to escape the children snacking on the smaller ones throughout the weekend. 

Warm Spiced Cauliflower Salad to serve 8 people as a side dish

Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, broken into tennis ball sized florets or smaller if you wish
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (add more if you want additional heat)
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
juice of a lemon
fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees fan forced. 

In a large baking dish, mix together the spices, olive oil, salt, chilli. 

After washing and shaking dry the cauliflower, add it to the baking dish tossing through with the flavourings. 

Roast for 45 minutes (large florets) and 30 minutes (small florets). Turn the pieces over once during the cooking time. 

When ready, remove from the baking dish into a serving bowl and drizzle over the lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Snip the dill fronds finely over the entire dish and serve. 

Gently Spiced Fish Fillets – allow 1 large fillet per person. The recipe below will serve 8 people. 

Ingredients
8 pieces Trevally (Blue Eye) or other white, firm fleshed fish, bones removed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
juice and finely grated rind of a lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
sea salt to taste
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees fan forced. 

Combine all of the flavouring ingredients (with the exception of the coriander leaves) in a glass or ceramic bowl. Add the fish and turn gently to completely coat each fillet in the yellow marinade. Leave this on the bench to steep whilst waiting for the oven to heat. 

When the oven is ready, lay the fillets on a baking tray. I lined my tray with baking paper first, to make cleaning up easier. Place this into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. 

Sprinkle with the coriander leaves before serving.