Our contributing chef Lennox Hastie is a master at wringing flavour from humble ingredients and this week he turns his skill to lamb mince. In Lennox's hands, lamb mince is magically transformed as spicy, flavoursome koftas, served alongside a wondrous, colourful fattoush salad studded with pomegranate jewels. This is masterful home cooking; take a look at his Middle Eastern-inspired recipes to make your own at home.

Popular cookbook author Sophie Hansen also delivers us home-style dishes this week, in a deliciously "mellow" pear and parsnip soup, and a roast chicken she describes as "really, really good". We won't just take her word for it, we'll make this one just to see how it turns out. I'm predicting it will be lovely. Happy cooking.

Looking for the deal of the week? This week's wine selections from The Australian's Cellar Director, John Lehmann include a Hungerford Hill Tumbarumba Pinot Meunier for an amazing $21.99 in a "super six" offer (regular price $50 a bottle). Amazing value. Details here.

Keep an eye out for our special edition of The Weekend Australian Magazine next weekend for our annual Gourmet Journeys issue. The edition covers great new restaurants, food tours, cooking schools, craft gin tastings and so much more. The edition is filled with suggestions for delicious things to do Australia-wide (with a couple of NZ suggestions as well.) It's one to keep, and savour.