In this week’s Feast newsletter: Having friends over doesn’t have to be hard – try simple sides and skip the formality

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This is an extract from our weekly Feast newsletter, written by Yotam, Meera Sodha, Rachel Roddy, Felicity Cloake and others. Sign up here to get it free to your inbox every Thursday.

Sometimes, when friends come over for dinner, I start planning by picking out the serving plates. Strange as that may sound, this visual cue often sets the rest in motion: a wide ceramic platter for grilled lamb chops with ezme, yoghurt and cumin salt , say, or for a generous mound of lentils and chickpeas dotted with nuts and barberries. A splash of green here, a pop of orange there, maybe a touch of purple for contrast …

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