Turn oven onto its lowest setting (approx 100C). Scatter onions over the base of a roasting tray and top with lamb.

I seriously recommend you invest in a meat thermometer if you like roasting large hunks of meat. It takes the guess work out of it and makes it an even easier meal to prepare.

The perfect dish to accompany our wine of the month which is Skillogalee Cabernets 2000.

1 leg or shoulder of lamb
2T ground cumin, optional
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
1/4C (65mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 large brown onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
Pistachio & mint sauce, to serve

Trim lamb of any excessive fat and combine cumin, rosemary and oil and season well. Rub lamb with the marinade and cover and refrigerate for up to 48hours. Remove lamb from the refrigerator a few hours before you’re ready to cook.

Turn oven onto its lowest setting (approx 100C). Scatter onions over the base of a roasting tray and top with lamb. Roast for approx 4 hours or until a meat thermometer comes to 63C. Remove lamb and keep in a warm place to rest for at least an hour. Meanwhile, increase oven temp to 200C and return onions to cook until softened brown approx 45mins.

To serve, carve lamb into thin slices and divide between plates along with the onion and top with a generous dollup of pistachio sauce.

Pistachio & mint sauce

Makes approx 2 cups

The gorgeous green colour of this sauce looks really pretty alongside the rosy lamb but I imagine it would work equally well with fish especially salmon or even as a chunky topping on a shaved zucchini salad.

200g shelled pistachios
1 medium slice sourdough bread (approx 40g), crusts removed
1 clove garlic, smashed & finely chopped
½ bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
3 sprigs mint, leaves picked
zest 1 lemon
3T lemon juice
1/2C extra virgin olive oil
3/4C - 1C water

Place pistachios in a food processor with bread, garlic, parsley and mint and whiz until finely chopped. Add lemon juice and oil and some of the water and puree until smooth. Taste and season and continue to add water until you have a saucy consistency.

By Jules Clancy

This is one of those simple little pasta dishes that takes as long to prepare as the time to boil the water and cook the pasta. I love using chervil for its delicate leaves but flat leaf parsley also works well, just make sure the leaves are torn into smallish pieces.

If you happen to be serving a die-hard carnivore a few slices of prosciutto grilled until crispy and sprinkled on top wouldn’t go astray.

400g angel hair or other long pasta such as vermicelli
1 bunch chervil or flat leaf parsley (leaves picked)
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
150g soft goats cheese, at room temperature
100g unsalted butter, chopped into 1cm cubes at room temperature

Bring a very large pot of salted water to the boil. Place butter in a large warmed ceramic bowl. Cook pasta as per the packet directions. Drain pasta and add to butter bowl. Toss pasta to distribute and melt the butter then toss through the herbs and season. Divide pasta between 4 warmed bowls and top with chunks of goats cheese and enjoy with a crisp glass of Arlewood sauvignon blanc semillon 2008.

By Jules Clancy

Salamino pizza

makes 1 pizza approx 25cm

This more unusual combo of fresh ricotta and salami was inspired by the good old boys down at Pizza Mario in Surry Hills. My Irish sources tell me that when U2 were last in town it was the personal favourite of none other than Bono, not a bad claim for a simple combo.

Feel free to experiment with your choice of salami. I like to get the pizza cooking and then just add the salami for the last half so it starts to brown but doesn’t get too frazzled and crispy but it’s up to you.

1×25cm pizza base (see below for dough recipe)
100g full fat ricotta
6 slices of hot sopressa
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat your grill or oven to the highest setting (see note). Scatter chunks of ricotta over the base and season well. Bake until half done (about a minute in my oven) then layer over sopressa. Continue to cook until the base is cooked through and the top starting to brown up. Serve hot, drizzled with a little extra virgin olio.

Rosemary & Potato pizza

makes 1 pizza approx 25cm

This simple pizza ‘bianco’ has been one of my favourites for ages and is a great place to start as the absence of sauce makes it a lot easier to cook through.

1×25cm pizza base (see below for dough recipe)
1 medium potato, desiree or Nicola scrubbed
2T extra virgin olive oil
1 large sprig rosemary, leaves picked
pinch chilli flakes, optional

Preheat your grill or oven to the highest setting (see note). Finely slice potato using a mandolin or a sharp knife and a steady hand. In a small bowl combine potato, oil, rosemary and chilli (if using) and season well. Arrange potato slices over pizza overlapping only slightly. Season well with sea salt & pepper and bake until golden and the potato is cooked through.