hunger games dinner partyAny Hunger Games fans out there? I've read the book and I'm so stoked for the movie to come out! But I have to confess something a little embarrassing: Reading the book made me hungry. Seriously. For a book called The Hunger Games, there sure is a lot of good eating.

Anyway, while I'm waiting for the movie to come out, I've been dreaming up the ultimate Hunger Games dinner party menu: Mixed greens salad with blood orange dressing, lamb stew, wine, and chocolate cake. Let the games begin!

My favorite meal from the book was the lamb and preserved plum stew. I don't want to give anything away, but trust me when I say this stew is VERY important to the story and I sure hope it makes a cameo in the movie. Lamb and prune stew (yeah, that's what a preserved plum is) is actually a dish from Morocco, so I came up with a Moroccan-style recipe that's pretty easy to pull off. Prunes with lamb may sound a little weird, but the prunes add a velvety sweetness that I love with the heavy lamb. Add honey to this if you want it even sweeter.

hunger games stew

Capitol Lamb and Plum Stew for Two

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger root (or 2 tablespoons dried ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 pound boneless stew lamb
  • 1/2 pound pitted prunes
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in cast iron skillet or braiser and soften garlic and ginger.
  2. Meanwhile, combine salt, spices, and flour in a bowl. Trim lamb of most, but not all fat. Toss in spice and flour mixture. Move garlic and ginger to the sides of the pan and brown the lamb on all sides in the center of the pan.
  3. Cover everything with water (2-3 cups), bring to a boil, lower to a soft simmer, and cook for 90 minutes. Add water if too much liquid evaporates (I added about 2 more cups). After the 90 minutes add prunes and cook another 15 minutes.
  4. Serve over wild rice and topped with sesame seeds.

P.S., there's a lamb stew in the Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, too.

Now for the salad! I was lucky enough to find a salad mix with dandelion greens -- something Katniss herself gathered before the games. Blood orange just seems appropriate ... but if you can't find blood orange, regular oranges will work, too.

Mixed Greens Salad With Blood Orange Dressing

Ingredients for dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a jam jar, shut tightly, and shake vigorously

Pour over 1 pound mixed greens and one chopped medium apple. Toss well and serve.

Wine pairing: I recommend a zinfandel

Dessert: Chocolate cake

And then -- obviously you need to dress up like one of the characters. Here's a whole 'nother Hunger Games dinner party menu from Cinema and Spice.

Do you have a favorite book that made you hungry?

Hungry? Need dinner ideas? Just love anything and everything food and recipes? Then you'll totally want to follow us on Pinterest! Our virtual pin boards on Kid Friendly Recipes , Sweet Treats  and Easter 2012 are pure eye candy. Yum!


Images via CinemaandSpice/YouTube, Adriana Velez