Karen Martini's essential recipes from a life in the kitchen

"I haven't actually opened it because it's all just too full on, a kind of pinch yourself moment," says the chef who's been cooking for more than three decades, written eight cookbooks and graced our television screens on Better Homes and Gardens for nearly 20 years.

When her publishers told her they wanted a compendium of sorts, she began compiling recipes.

"I wondered how I could possibly choose what to put in it, but once I started writing a list, it just went on and on, it became this monster," she says.

"I'd go off on tangents, I'd have my go-tos, but then think, now I need a recipe for this or for that."

Martini's food, whether it be on the menu of her Melbourne restaurants, or her family-friendly fare from magazines and newspaper columns, has always been inspired by flavour.

There are touches of her Tunisian-Italian heritage, classics and twists on all kinds of cuisines. How do you narrow it down, how do you select what recipes represent you?

"I wanted to unpack my mind as far as cooking was concerned, think about my approach to food and why I feel the way I do," she says.

"But then I wanted to include the simple recipes that I cook at home. Initially I had five bolognese recipes in there, including my dad's, childhood favourites like stuffed peppers, shepherd's pie, roast chicken ..."

She wants us, however, to view the recipes through our own lens too.

"Throughout the book I've given variations, simplifications and amplifications, as well as lots of pairing advice," she says.

"I'd love this book to be on the kitchen bench, with notes scribbled in the margins, with stains all over it."

While the book, at 912 pages, is encyclopedic, she wanted it to be accessible for the home cook.

"I straddle the definitions of chef and cook quite well I think," she says.

"While I hope it does end up in cafes and restaurants, I wanted it to be manageable for the home kitchen.

"Nurturing friends and family with food at my dining table is the thing that's closest to my heart, still, after all these years.

"This book is about the love of cooking and the art of eating and it's there for anyone to dip into."

The simple combination of briny clams, garlic, chilli, wine, parsley and oil is revelatory enough, but the inclusion of anchovies and a little chicken stock just adds so much weight and intensity, without intruding on the core flavours.

1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until just before al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large wide saucepan over a high heat. Add half the oil. Cook the garlic, anchovies and chilli for about two minutes, to colour the garlic and dissolve the anchovies.

3. Carefully add the clams to the pan, without damaging the shells. Cook until they start to open, about two minutes. Pour in the wine, being careful not to flame the pan. Simmer for two minutes, then lift the open clams into a bowl.

4. Add the stock and parsley to the pan, then tong in the cooked pasta directly from the pot. Simmer the pasta in the sauce for two minutes, tossing through, then return the clams and any juices.

5. Add the remaining oil and toss until the sauce is glossy and clinging to the pasta, adding a little pasta water if needed. The sauce should be glossy and a little wet. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Hot and fragrant Thai caramel is marvellous with fish. A quick cook under a hot grill, a vibrant salad and rice is all that's needed for a stunning meal.

1. Heat 2cm of oil in a small frying pan for three minutes over a medium heat. Fry the curry leaves, on their stems, for two minutes, until translucent, then drain on paper towel - they will become crunchy.

2. Preheat the oven grill on high. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

3. Meanwhile, combine the herbs and cucumber in a bowl.

4. Season the fish pieces with salt and pepper, then lay them on the baking tray. Grill for about six minutes, then set aside to rest for two minutes to finish cooking.

5. Plate the fish. Spoon over the caramel. Scatter with the herb salad, finish with the curry leaves and snake beans, if using, and serve.

Serves 6.

1. Add the sugar and water to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture turns a medium-dark caramel, six to eight minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and stir the tomatoes through. The caramel will seize a little, but just put the pan back on the heat and add the garlic, chilli, lemongrass, tom yum paste, shrimp and lime leaves, then stir to combine. Once simmering, add the fish sauce and simmer until the tomatoes start to soften, two to three minutes.

3. Set aside to cool a little, then stir in the lime juice. (If you add the lime while it's still very hot, it will cook the lime flavour and you'll lose the vital freshness.)

Note: This sauce is best served straight away, but will keep in the fridge for several days if necessary. Gently reheat to use, refreshing with more lime juice before serving.

Makes 500ml.

On a trip to Santorini in the late 1990s, I had the best souvlaki of my life from a tiny shop well off the beaten track. I'll never know what was in their spice mix, but I have evolved a pleasing replica.

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the lamb and toss well to coat. Marinate for as long as you can - 30 minutes at a minimum, but overnight is best.

2. When ready to cook, preheat a barbecue grill on high.

3. For the sauce, add all the ingredients to a bowl and combine well.

4. Season the lamb with salt, then thread onto the skewers, reserving the marinating juices. Thread a chunk of onion onto both ends of each skewer. Cook on the grill for two minutes, then rotate, basting with the marinating juices, and repeat again. The lamb will take about eight minutes to cook and char on all sides.

5. Rest for three minutes before serving; the lamb should have a blush of pink inside.

6. Meanwhile, warm the pitta breads on the grill, then add some yogurt sauce, finely sliced onion and lettuce. Slide the meat off the skewers on top, dust with some Greek spice mix and eat immediately.

Combine 1 tbsp sumac, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp salt flakes, crushing the salt flakes a little as you go. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Serves 6.

This is based on the classic Basque cheesecake. I have added goat's cheese and salt for a savoury edge.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper, making sure the paper is double the height of the tin, as this cake will rise a lot.

2. Using an electric stand mixer, whisk the cream cheese, goat's cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about three minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just incorporated, then add the salt and lemon zest. Add the cream, then the flour, and mix for two minutes.

3. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 35 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 240C fanforced and bake for 10 minutes to colour deeply. The tart should have risen quite a lot, with a wobble in the middle.

4. Cool completely before unmoulding and serving as is. The cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days and at room temperature for up to two days.

Serves 6-8.