I’m usually in Australia at this time of year, but since I’m not, I needed to bring Australia to me — and few people can so instantly transport me to the land of blue skies, blue seas and beautiful, beautiful food than Donna Hay! She is the Queen of relaxed, bright-flavoured Aussie eating, and I’m as happy wallowing in the sunny stylishness of her books from my sofa as cooking from her no-stress recipes in my kitchen.
Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt will certainly keep me going long after I make my trip Down Under later on in the year, but right now I’m content just holidaying in its pages. Actually, I’m more than content: I’m in heaven! But enough general rhapsodising — let me tell you about some of the laidback loveliness of the recipes within. There are many I want to bring to your attention, so here’s a shortlist of my shortlist: Honey and Tahini Breakfast Cookies; Green Goddess Toastie; Mint Salsa Verde Potato and Chicken Salad; Spiced Miso Beef Salad; Crispy Spiced Lamb and Pomegranate Salad; Crunchy Peanut, Coconut and Lime Slaw; Lemon Pesto; Radicchio and Pickled Nectarine Salad; Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Minty Gremolata; Lime and Coriander Crispy Fish Tacos; and Caramelised Lemongrass Prawn Skewers. Then there are her desserts: think Passionfruit Powder Puffs; Passionfruit Meringue Tart; Ricotta Doughnuts with Lemon and Elderflower; and Pistachio Semifreddo.
Choosing which recipe to bring you today was both painful and pleasurable! The one I’ve chosen doesn’t actually involve cooking, but in the end I was simply compelled to bring you her Frozen Coconut Margarita.
From Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt: a Celebration of Modern Coastal Home Cooking by Donna Hay. Published by Harper One.
Photography copyright © 2025 by Chris Court and Con Poulos.
