If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about getting dinner on the table, it’s that the finishing touch – the sauce, the relish or the sprinkling of spice – will bring a dish home.

My latest cookbook, From Salt to Jam, is a celebration of condiments and seasonings, including bagel seasoning, ranch dressing, chicken salt and chermoula.

With a stockpile of versatile and bold-flavoured sauces, spices and dressings on hand, magical meals are only moments away.

Green goddess dressing

This dressing is fresh, vibrant and my kind of add-on to almost every meal. I’ve kept this vegan, but if you are chasing a bolder umami hit, simply add three anchovies with the initial ingredients and continue with the recipe as normal.

INGREDIENTS

To make 750ml (3 cups)

• ½ bunch coriander, rinsed and chopped
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed, dried and chopped
• ½ bunch spring onions, green parts only, washed, dried and chopped
• 1 avocado
• ½ tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp ground coriander
• 2 small cloves smoked garlic
• 25ml lemon juice (about ½ large lemon)
• 200ml water
• salt
• pinch of caster sugar
• ½ tbsp honey mustard
• 150ml olive oil
• 5 tsp apple cider vinegar

To make 1.5 litres (6 cups)

• 1 bunch coriander, rinsed and chopped
• 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, washed, dried and chopped
• 1 bunch spring onions, green parts only, washed, dried and chopped
• 2 avocados
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 3 cloves smoked garlic
• 50ml lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
• 400ml water
• salt
• ½ tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp honey mustard
• 300ml olive oil
• 50ml apple cider vinegar

To make 2.25 litres (9 cups)

• 1½ bunches coriander, rinsed and chopped
• 3 bunches flat-leaf parsley, washed, dried and chopped
• 1½ bunches spring onions, green parts only, washed, dried and chopped
• 3 avocados
• 1½ tbsp onion powder
• 1½ tbsp ground coriander
• 5 small cloves smoked garlic
• 75ml lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 600ml water
• salt
• ¾ tbsp caster sugar
• 1½ tbsp honey mustard
• 450ml olive oil
• 75ml apple cider vinegar

METHOD

1. Add the chopped herbs, avocado, spices, garlic, lemon juice, water, sugar and mustard to a blender. Blitz on high until everything is looking properly blitzed – depending on the power of your blender this can take a fair bit of whizzing. Once incorporated, add the olive oil and apple cider vinegar and blitz again – this will emulsify the dressing and stop it from splitting. It should be a vibrant green and seem a little aerated. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keeps, covered, in the fridge for 1 week.

Saucy thighs

Here, some chicken thighs are given a quick bath in green goddess dressing; barbecued until charred, tanned and golden; then brought to a plate with even more green goddess and all the green, crisp things you can find. It’s marvellous, easy, dinnertime glory.

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 375ml (1½ cups) green goddess dressing
• 3 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling, plus extra to serve
• 1 bunch rocket (the milder, less bitter/peppery leaf works best here)
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs – I used flat-leaf parsley, fennel, coriander and basil
• any lettuce leaves and bits and bobs to dress this work well
• lemon cheeks and olive oil, to dress

METHOD

1. Add the chicken thighs and 250ml (1 cup) of the green goddess to a bowl. Stab the chicken with a bit of reserved rage here and there to puncture a few spots to help the marinade penetrate. Toss to coat then let it sit on your kitchen bench for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan to medium-high. Drizzle the chicken with oil and grill until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the remaining green goddess to the base of a serving plate. Top with your herbs, lettuce leaves and bits and bobs. Top with the chicken, then dress with lemon cheeks and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Serves 4-6

Sorta crispy chickpeas, green goddess and feta

The ease of this dish – the throw-it-on carefree nature, and sensational taste of it – proves we can be less uptight about dinner and far better fed. It’s an absolute two-minute dinner winner.

INGREDIENTS

• 310ml (1⅓ cups) green goddess dressing
• 125ml (½ cup) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 850g tinned chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper, plus extra to serve
• 120g crumbled Persian feta
• 1 cup soft herbs (I used dill and basil, but whatever you have on hand always seems to work with this)

METHOD

1. Let the green goddess dressing sit on the bench while you prepare everything so it’s not fridge-cold at serving.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it is lovely and soft and only just starting to colour, about 8 minutes. Add the chickpeas, garlic and Aleppo pepper and toss gently to coat everything in the onion and oil mixture. Keep cooking, giving the pan a jiggle here and there to prevent burning and to ensure your chickpeas are getting an equal time tanning in the pan. They should look a little caramelised and crisp(ish) in spots. When done, remove from the heat and add the herbs and quickly stir to combine.
3. Add the green goddess to a serving plate. Spoon over the chickpea mixture and give everything a lovely heave of salt and freshly ground black pepper – and another pinch of Aleppo pepper for good measure.
4. Top with the feta pieces and herbs and scatter over a pinch or so more of Aleppo pepper. Drizzle over some olive oil, season again and serve.

Serves 6

Caramel sauce

I remember watching my grandmother make caramel. Her hands – gosh, those hands – toughened by years working on the land but so gentle when it came to anything she touched on the hob. In later years, I would watch her hand shake ever so slightly as she placed the clumped sugar into the pan, her paper-thin skin stretched taut, chuckling as the caramel foamed and hissed. To this day I am felled by the power of this simple indulgence, the comfort embedded in this simple sauce’s golden hues. What seems like a simple recipe needs love, care and attention to reach its full potential. Success is in the detail, so do not look away for a moment.

INGREDIENTS

To make 500ml (2 cups)

• 340g caster sugar
• 125g excellent-quality unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
• 175ml pouring cream
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes

To make 1 litre (4 cups)

• 675g caster sugar
• 250g excellent-quality unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
• 355ml pouring cream
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes

To make 1.5 litres (6 cups)

• 1 kg caster sugar
• 375g excellent-quality unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
• 530ml pouring cream
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the sugar until it has completely melted – swirl the pan gently every 20 seconds. The sugar will clump in spots before melting slowly. Watch this part closely – it’s important not to let it burn.
2. Once melted, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter – your mixture will look as though it is possessed, violently bubbling. Continue whisking until the bubbles begin to subside.
3. Slowly pour in the cream and half the salt. Whisk until everything is combined.
4. Taste a spoonful of the caramel – if it is mouth-cloyingly sweet, add the rest of the salt. If you’d like to add vanilla, I suggest adding it separately, so you have some caramel reserved for savoury dishes. To add vanilla, simply add 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean extract for every 500ml (2 cups) of caramel.
5. Allow to cool completely before using. Caramel can be stored in jars with a screw-top lid. It will last for 6 weeks in the fridge and up to 4 months in the freezer.

Togarashi caramel beef skewers

Food on sticks. The end. Start this the day before, for maximum juicy marinating action.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp caramel sauce
• 2 tsp togarashi seasoning
• 1kg beef (sirloin works well), cut into even-sized cubes
• oil, enough to make a paste

To serve

• 2 limes, halved
• 60ml (¼ cup) caramel sauce
• togarashi seasoning

METHOD

1. Process the onion and garlic in a small food processor until finely chopped, then add the oil and process to a paste. Add the caramel and togarashi, season to taste with salt and process to combine.
2. Add to a large bowl with the beef, stirring to coat the meat well. Refrigerate to marinate overnight – or at least for a good few hours if time and the desire for preplanning preclude a sleepover in the fridge.
3. Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan to high heat. Thread the beef pieces onto metal skewers (leave a little space in between so the beef can brown) and cook, turning regularly to prevent the caramel from burning, until browned and cooked to your liking, 3-4 minutes for medium. Add the limes, flesh side down, to the side and cook until they have taken on a little colour.
4. Season the beef with salt and a little extra togarashi.
5. Serve the beef with the charred limes and extra caramel and togarashi on the side. These are best when piping hot. They also go down a treat with some steamed rice, and vegies given a similar treatment to the beef.

Serves 6

Date slab with bourbon caramel

The elixir here is half a kilo of dates in one little cake and the addition of bourbon to the caramel sauce. It’s also “quick-stir-and-done” sort of baking, with no aerating of batters requiring mixers and attachments.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g dried (or fresh) pitted dates
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 550ml boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 165g caster sugar
• 165g (½ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 2 organic free-range eggs
• 270g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 310ml (1⅓ cups) caramel sauce
• 1 tbsp smoky bourbon
• ice-cream, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional). Butter a 25 x 35cm glass or metal baking dish.
2. Add the dates to a bowl with the baking soda. Pour the boiling water over and set aside until the dates look pulpy and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the dates and soaking liquid to a food processor and blitz briefly to get rid of any residual chunky bits.
3. Combine the vanilla, sugars and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and you get ribbons when you lift up a spoonful of the mixture. Add the date mixture and mix to fully incorporate. Add the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and gently fold the dry ingredients through the date mixture until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the dish and bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the dish for at least 40 minutes before serving.
5. Using a skewer, poke multiple holes across the surface of the cake. Pour over about 185-250ml (¾-1 cup) caramel, spreading it across the cake and into the holes you created with the skewer. Cover with cling film and set aside for the cake to absorb the glorious caramel.
6. When ready to serve, add the remaining caramel and bourbon to a saucepan and place over low heat. Warm through and whisk to ensure the bourbon is fully incorporated.
7. Slice the slab into generous squares. Drizzle over some of the bourbon caramel and serve or also add a generous dollop of ice-cream for that extra hedonistic pleasure.

Serves 12

This is an edited extract from the book From Salt to Jam by Katrina Meynink published by Hardie Grant Books out April 5, 2023, RRP $40. Copyright photography © Katrina Meynink 2023. Buy now