Basics to Brilliance

Donna Hay has returned and this time, she’s taking us back to the basics.

For years, Australians all over the country have been turning to Donna Hay for recipes they can trust. With her signature style and flavours, she’s helped us cook quickly and healthily, transforming old classics into modern day entertaining staples and given us solutions to the weeknight dinner dilemma. Now she’s back to show how mastering the basics can open up a world of new and delicious recipes.Her new book Basics to Brilliance is as beautifully presented as we’ve come to expect from Donna, and is sorted into three sections: Savory, Need to Know and Sweets. Donna starts with the basic recipe and then leads us into multiple variations on how to make it brilliant. For example, a basic recipe for slow cooked lamb shoulder can easily be transformed into lamb and provolone open sandwiches, crispy lamb, pea and mint fritters, and lamb, goat’s cheese and heirloom tomato salad.And trust us, these are recipes you’ll be itching to cook. Whether it’s the buttermilk fried chicken, chewy chocolate chip cookies, light and crispy tempura batter or smoky pulled pork – you name it and she has it. This book is a great gift for those just starting out in the kitchen, or home cooks wanting to spice up those classic ingredients and recipes.We spoke to Donna about the inspiration behind Basics to Brilliance, advice she has for amateur and young cooks, and the food and books she loves. See our interview here.Excited to cook? Here are two of Donna’s ‘Basic’ recipes and one ‘Brilliant’ suggestion for each – you’ll just have to purchase a copy to find out all the other ways you can turn the simple stuff into your own culinary masterpieces.