Best dressed

Tahini is fantastically versatile, its deep, nutty flavour a harmonious match with roasted vegetables, grilled oily fish or barbecued meat. I always buy Lebanese tahini paste (Al Wadi is particularly good) as it tends to have the best flavour. Depending on the brand you use, you may need to increase or reduce the amount of liquid ingredients to achieve the right consistency - it should be thick but runny, a little like honey. Chilling it will thicken it up, so you will need to whisk it again and perhaps add more water.

Serves 6

150ml tahini paste

70ml lemon juice

150ml water

1 clove of garlic, crushed

30g flat-leaf parsley (if making by hand, it should be finely chopped)

Salt

To make by hand, thoroughly whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water and garlic in a bowl - you're aiming for a creamy, smooth texture. If it's too thick, add more water. Stir in the chopped parsley and taste; add salt if needed.

If using a food processor or a blender, put in all the ingredients except the parsley and process until smooth. Add more water if needed. Throw in the parsley and pulse for a second or two. Add salt if needed. This will keep in the fridge for three days.

Serves 8-10

1 medium free-range egg

1½ tsp Dijon mustard

¾ tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

1½ garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp cider vinegar

130ml hemp seed oil

60ml sunflower oil

15g mixed dill, coriander and parsley (if making by hand, these should be chopped)

Put everything, apart from the oils and herbs, into a mixing bowl or a food processor. (If you're using the latter, you may well have to double the ingredient quantities in order for them to reach the level of the processor blade, so if you're feeding fewer mouths, you may want to make it by hand).

Whisk or process for a few seconds, then start trickling in the oils. Be patient - add it slowly, little by little, so that the mayonnaise doesn't split. Once the consistency is nice and thick, add the herbs. This will keep in the fridge for three days. If you're vegetarian, the smokiness of roasted garlic is a great way of creating the same depth of flavour that anchovies would otherwise provide. Here it produces a dressing that's great with gem lettuce salad or raw vegetables. This is good with grilled lamb cutlets, too.

Serves 6-8

7 garlic cloves, skins still on

100g sour cream

60g Greek yoghurt

2 tbsp olive oil

5g dill, chopped

¼ tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.

Trim a few millimetres off the tip of the garlic cloves. Place them in an ovenproof dish and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool a little, then squeeze the soft flesh out of the skins into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. This will keep in the fridge for four days.

Serves 6-8

4 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp finely chopped shallot

½ tsp lemon

1½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Salt and pepper

135ml extra virgin olive oil

Mix all the ingredients, apart from the oil, in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil in a thin drizzle while whisking constantly to get a creamy consistency. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. This will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks - just make sure you bring to room temperature before using. Bursting with earthy aromas, this sauce/dressing works well with almost anything. Toss together with fresh peppery leaves, serve as a salsa for oily fish or roast chicken, or toss through cold rice or pasta salad.

Serves 6-8

40g rocket, chopped roughly

50g grated parmesan

60g toasted walnuts

½ garlic clove, crushed

60ml extra virgin olive oil

75ml walnut oil

25ml water

¼ tsp salt

A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and work into a smooth paste. Add more water if needed. Taste for seasoning. This will keep for up to five days in the fridge.