Well we did it. Cooked at Global Feast that is. A Middle Eastern feast for 70 in Stratford Old Town Hall. And jolly good fun it was too, as you can see from the pix above. We had the pleasure of working with the very lovely Sabrina Ghayour, and pop-up superstar Kerstin Rodgers, not to mention the South London belly dancing massive comprising Mrs. Miggins, Pauline Blackwood, and percussionist Lenny.
Why did we do it? Why do people climb mountains… Well, it was a night off. But chiefly we did it to learn stuff. So we can become pop-up perfect (well, pop-up better, anyway) and improve on the pop-up Persepolis experience.
So fired up were we that we got back and arranged another two pop-up events. Yes, two. The first one is at Anderson & Co on 31st August, and for a change we are going for the full-on Iranian restaurant experience. This means kebabs.
Mr. Shopkeeper will be in charge of the meaty bits, as he is the resident carnivore. And whilst all men are born with a king-of-the-barbecue gene, his barbecue skills are really second to none.
Starters will be traditional and simple: herbs, cheese + warm flat bread. And green pea houmous, and borani-ye-bademjun (spiced yoghurt with aubergine).
There will be jujeh kebab: pieces of baby chicken marinated with lemon and lots of saffron. And kebab-e-ghenjeh: tender cubes of lamb. And kufteh: Mrs. S.’ special recipe spiced meatballs.
Vegetarians: do not despair. For you there will be vegan kufteh and a spinach + prune khoresht (casserole).
These will be served with Shirazi salad, pickles and saffron rice.
For desert there will be sholeh zard: chilled saffron rice pudding (vegan) with sour cherry sauce.
Tea or coffee are included, and you can BYO booze. The price will be £50 per head, and will include a Persepolis cocktail to begin and half a bottle of wine. This is only a few weeks away and bookings are already being taken. A £5 per head deposit will secure your place. Call Lisa to reserve your table.
The second event is at Bambuni in Nunhead on Friday 12th October. The menu is thus:
We’ll start with traditional Iranian herbs, cheese and warm flat-bread. There will also be a platter of vegetarian dolmeh: that’s stuffed stuff to you.
The main course will comprise chicken fesenjun, which is what Iranians cook when they are showing off. It is an opulent dish made with ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses, with the addition of Bokhara plums and little meatballs.
For vegetarians there will be an Afghan carrot hotpot – Qorma-e-Zardak.
Pudding will be rose water sorbet with a lime and barberry coulis.
Tea and coffee are included, and the price of this feast is £37.50 a head.
Bambuni is licensed and so you can buy beer or wine there.
Call Huey to book/pay a deposit…