Barbara Kafka’s Wedding Salutation

I am a sentimentalist. I see a happy wedding, not a shotgun. I see a mild spring or summer day with fluffy clouds, no rain, and a garden flourished with bloom. Of course, all that may not be true, but the flavours and style of the wedding feast can at least evoke that happy image. Moistened by champagne or prosecco, spirits can soar.

This meal (designed for 12 people) is as beautiful to see as it is good to eat, and may be easily divided or multiplied. It starts with elegant individual portions of quails’ eggs in ‘aspic’ and is followed by a sumptuous mound of steamed cous cous and ‘baby’ vegetables. (If you have difficulty in finding baby vegetables, cut large ones into attractive shapes. They will require less cooking than whole vegetables.)