Make one or make all: Yewande Komolafe’s curated menus are meant for celebrating.
As a reserved extrovert, I love cooking and hosting in my own home, and the feeling that sharing a meal with others gives me. My instinct has always been to create a careful, detailed, curated plan — one that, admittedly, does not always work. I’ve had to quickly pivot, turning underproofed doughs meant for rolls into crackers or soggy jollof rice into panko-crusted fritters. But the goal is not perfection; it’s to open up my space and myself to family, friends and sometimes even strangers.
To understand — and share — my approach to these meals, I’ve selected 25 recipes from New York Times Cooking, dishes that highlight the flavors of the African continent and its diaspora, a focus of my work as a columnist for The Times. All of the recipes are drawn from everyday life of places like Nigeria, Liberia, Kenya and Somalia. They tell a rich story of a region’s food, balanced, vibrant and deeply nourishing.
The recipes here include crisp-crunchy appetizers; robust soups and stews; sparkly condiments for dipping; generous helpings of meaty mains; and vegetable dishes that are textured and bright. You can make them for any style of gathering — formal or casual, seated multicourse or standing room only. Mix and match them as you like. Below, you’ll find three possible menus that I’ve created for you, too.
Take these dishes as an offering, a springy step forward after the long winter months. Feel free to include your guests as part of the planning process. Delegate any task you can’t do yourself; this support will free up your mind and allow you to execute the meal as intended. It will also make way for conversation, catching up, reflecting and sharing, all future memories of an unforgettable gathering.
