On Saturday last week, I made my first proper feast from Feast. Even though I've made recipes from the book since I got it (Penne alla Vodka, Ricotta and Pine Nut Salad etc), this was the first time that I had people over for a big feast and made a big selection of dishes. Most of the recipes are from "A Mezze Feast for ten to twenty", in the Wedding Feast (hah) chapter, but I got a couple from other sections / Nigella books.

Here's the menu:

Aubergine, Mint and Yogurt Dip
Italianified Guacamole (from Feast, but the Meatless Feasts chapter)
Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad
Fattoush (from Forever Summer)
Lemon, Mint and Spinach Salad (also from Meatless Feasts)
Aromatic Lamb Meatballs
Crispy Onion Rice

served with sugar snap peas, witlof (aka chicory) and toasted sourdough bread.


The Feast


Pomegranate and Cucumber Salad - how pretty is it?

I can't believe I made so much! I was so paranoid there wouldn't be enough food (for 6 of us), but believe me, there was PLENTY. (In fact there are still leftovers now, almost a week later!) And the table was groaning with the amount of food - no room for plates at all, so we ate on our laps around the kitchen, haha.

It was all a pretty relaxed process, I didn't stress like usual. I had been out the night before, slept over at a friend's house (Hi Georgina!) and got home at about 8am, had breakfast and then started cooking. Cooking was a good hangover cure! It was pretty hot that day (30 degrees?) so I just took it easy in the kitchen. Jess T & Eliza (the guests) helped to make the guacamole.

It was a really rewarding experience in total. Just a fun day, and it was so so so great to catch up with Jess & Eliza - both a social and a culinary experience, with neither overshadowing the other! (Which, I think, fits in with Nigella's philosophy of food).