Cumin, coriander and cinnamon – as well as lamb rather than the traditional beef – give this classic meat sauce a little spin. Since the sauce makes enough for 900g of pasta, I make it on a lazy Sunday and freeze half of it (or all of it, in two batches) for a no fuss weeknight meal or weekend dinner later on. This is an edited extract from ‘Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski is published by Bluebird, RRP$39.99 and is available from all good bookstores’.

I spent a couple of summers when I was young in Knowlton, Quebec, where my Auntie Magda had a summer home she ran as an unofficial sleepaway camp for all of the cousins. Our carefree days were spent horseback riding, face painting, running about in the yard and, of course, eating. Auntie Madga was a fantastic cook who put a touch of Polish in every dish. Her daughter, Maia, two years my elder, likely inspired by her mum, was a passionate young baker. Maia spent most of her mornings in the kitchen, baking something delicious so that we could all have treats after lunch. That first summer at ‘cousins’ camp’, she was obsessed with lemon squares. Brand-new to me, they were sweet and tangy, bright and cookie-like, and I ate them with abandon. But what also struck me was the idea that cooking is not necessarily a chore that somebody else does for you while you’re playing outside. If you love cooking, it’s fun. Today, whenever I make these lemon bars, which are a slight riff on Maia’s original, I think back to that time that helped shape both my palate and my life path. This is an edited extract from ‘Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski is published by Bluebird, RRP$39.99 and is available from all good bookstores’.

This egg sammie may look like any other egg sandwich out there, but it’s got a special something that makes it extra-delicious and very Aussie: Vegemite. A thick dark-brown yeast paste that’s packed with nutrients (‘for vitality’, the packet says, and many doctors agree it’s one of the world’s richest sources of B vitamins and more), the umami spread is an Aussie toast classic that also finds its way into many other dishes. Its salty, malty and slightly meat-smoky notes balance the richness of the avocado and eggs here, while seasoning the dish with a flavour that’s at once familiar (the salty part) and unique (the meaty-malty part). Quick, easy, super-satisfying and healthy, this sammie is both breakfast and dinner in my home. This is an edited extract from ‘Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski is published by Bluebird, RRP$39.99 and is available from all good bookstores’.