Elevating almonds with Lennox Hastie

I often think of our food contributor Lennox Hastie as an artist and thinker as much as a chef. In his fortnightly column, he often discusses concepts and ideas that make me think about food in a different way. And sometimes he imparts tips about things I haven't considered before, which I love to use in my own cooking. In this week's column he discusses almonds, and shows how to use them in two beautiful dishes: a frangipane cake, and as the backdrop to an artistic dish of squid and fennel. The thing I best love about the latter recipe is Lennox's little tip on how to cook fennel: "roasting sees it caramelise to a soft sweetness, which pairs beautifully with the squid", he writes. I haven't tried this before, but now I am going to. The dish is stunning.

From the easy and achievable department comes Jessica Prescott's three pasta salad dishes. These full-flavoured meals are incredibly easy to achieve and full of flavour and goodness, a winning combination in my book. Happy cooking.

Cellar director John Lehmann selects three stunning white wines for a saving of $74 in a super six deal. Click the link to see the deal. Details here.

There is a warm sense of anticipation that sweeps across the country with the ­arrival of spring. Certain ingredients embody the season turning, with asparagus, in particular, heralding the onset of a warmer and sunnier climate. Lennox Hastie has a fondness for grilling the tender stalks which imparts a delightful smokiness and enhances its natural sweetness.

Follow his recipe to make asparagus a perfect complement to any springtime meal.