Topic: Favourite veggie recipes for Christmas?

[caroline7758]

Weather permitting, my brother and is four girls (ages 7-16) are coming for Christmas and they are all vegetarian.

What your fave veggie dishes?

[brownowl23]

do they eat fish, if they do they you could do some kind of salmon dish.

[Susiebelle]

Am I allowed to say 'Veggies don't eat fish'. ???

Try and serve something that fits in with the main meal for everyone else, I mean that just repalces the meat content, something like a potabello mushroom stuffed/topped with something nice,could be a savoury nut mix or nut roast from M&S or could be roasted peppers & aubergine then topp with whatever cheese (ensuring veggie) ie Dolcelatte for the nut roast or goats cheese for the roasted peppers then wrap whole thing in puff pastry & fridge until oven available to cook, wrapping things in puff pastry always seem to dress it up a bit! - just ensure you don't offer the roast from around the turkey or the gravy, but a nice veggie gravy could be made in advance and frozen to take the preasure off.

Some Vegggies do like meat substitues in which case the Quorn range now includes something that is supposed to resemble a turkey/chicken roll, can't vouvh for it but I do know others that find it acceptable and very simple to incorporate into a Festive meal.

Hope it's of some use!

[brownowl23]

Am I allowed to say 'Veggies don't eat fish'. ???

Yes you can - although I know some who class themselves as veggie who do eat fish which is why I ask.

I remember doing a onion tart as a veggie main meal which we all ate. It was done by simon rimmer from something for the weekend. I'll see if I can search out the recipe, because I have to say that was real tasty.

[brownowl23]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/caramelisedonionandm_85435

this was the recipe that I used and served it with a salad an new potatoes.

[SueK]

Some Vegggies do like meat substitues

Ordinarily I'd say nut roast like a shot - normally Rose Elliot's pine nut roast with lemony filling - but right now I'm edging towards a Macsween vegetarian haggis, if I can find one in the time available (my excuse is that the food processor needs a new blade, and I've been out of action due to falling in the snow a few weeks ago  >:().  Only proviso is that the Macsween version contains peanuts, if that is an issue.

All 4 of us are veggies but have Christmas lunch at my MIL's and usually find something which fits in really well with all the roast veg, etc.  In fact, my in-laws usually do a load of veggie sausages with the turkey (not literally, you know what I mean), so there is some choice for our two boys given that we normally take something else with us.

[brownowl23]

Vegetarian haggis sounds fantastic.

Im not a veggie but if I had got veggie person for a meal especially quite a few of them, I normally opt the attitude if I cant beat them join them and do a veggie thing for everyone. Saves on two loads of cooking going on and I feel makes the veggies feel more accomodated and not the odd person out. Veggies may correct me and tell me that they might not appreciate this.

[Susiebelle]

We do, We do Brownowl23 very much, but I have discovered Christmas is just one of those times meat eaters need their Turkey - in fact the very last time I tackled one was many years ago for my mom I did not feel able to invite her for Christmas and not offer her Turkey as she always considered it such a treat - standing pulling out all those quills with tweezers was a labour of love that you only do for your mom!

And I love Onion Tart 'fab' - served it loads of times to meat eaters who have all 'lapped' it up.

Sorry to hear of your fall SueK, hope you recover in time to enjoy Christmas

[valmarg]

Am I allowed to say 'Veggies don't eat fish'. ???

Yes you can - although I know some who class themselves as veggie who do eat fish which is why I ask.
/quote]


My understanding of a 'real' vegetarian is that you do not eat any flesh, whether it be animal or fish.  You get the so called vegetarians that eat chicken and fish.  They are not vegetarians.  They are flesh eaters, so why not go the whole way and eat beef, lamb and pork, etc.  Why is it OK to eat chicken flesh and fish flesh, but not any of the others?  A vegetarian lives on a diet of vegetables with no meat (flesh) whatsoever.

valmarg

[brownowl23]

Valmarg - i agree if your going to be veggie then be veggie. but lets face it, its thier lifestyle choice on what they eat and what they cal themselves.


Susiebelle - I dont mind forgeing the turkey to share the same meal with everyone, seems rude to me have one person singled ot to be different. thres plenty of days over Xmas to have turkey if I want it.
besides two meal options is extra work. I take my hat off to you doing turkey for your mom but aas you say she is our mom.

[Obelixx]

Some people believe red meat, especially beef, is bad for you so just eat poultry and fish.   Some people just see food as fuel and aren't bothered about making it interesting or joyful.    OH and I love good food so eat most things except tripe, the wierder offal and Dutch veal, pork and chicken.  Dreadful rearing practices.

If you can get hold of a copy of Leith's Contemporary Cooking you'll find over 200 meatless recipes.   These include wild mushroom sausages, a chestnut crown roast and wild mushroom timbales.  All great for Xmas.   There's also a fabulous tagine using aubergine instead of lamb with dates and almonds.   One of our favourites is baked fennel with goat's cheese and sun dried tomatoes:-

Simple version - One fennel bulb per person.   Trim and clean fennel bulb then cut in half from top to bottom.  Place in an ovenproof dish cut side up, sprinkle with water and a bit of lemon juice, cover with cling film and microwave for 10 to 15 minutes till almost tender.  Drain.   Scatter over some chopped sundried tomatoes, some goat's cheese, pine kernels and chopped parsley.  Drizzle with olive oil. Season with s&p and bake for 15 to 20 mins at 200C.    You can do this last part while the turkey's resting and the roast spuds are in the oven.

[pumkinlover]

Last time I did nut roast I added mashed sweet potato (grown myself)!sorry had to add that  :-[

The result was a much lighter texture and we enjoyed it- not veggies ourselves- admire them though. we just think that some vegy food is so nice and that it is not necessary to eat meat every day.

Sorry i saw the recipe in a co-op magazine but them threw it away, but I guess just add it to any nutroast recipe.
Anne x

[Susiebelle]

I do the same, pumpkinlover, I have added parsnips to cashew nuts for years, very successful!

It's so refreshing to read your views Borwnowl23 -
In the past I have been accused of being 'the rude one' for not being prepared to eat the same meal as every one else, you know the theory that's it's rude not to eat what your host has prepared for you, I have to put this down to a genuine lack of understanding as to exactly what being a Vegetarian means, and of course this is not helped by all those people out there that call themselves vegetarians but eat fish chicken etc - I really sympathise with  Chefs these days - you know 'and what sort of a vegetarian are you?'. Over the years I have turned a blind eye to the little things, a bit of Parmesan etc so as not to embarrass, but never quite understood how any one could expect me to eat meat.

[Duke Ellington]

http://www.itv.com/lorraine/food/vegetarianwellington/

[brownowl23]

I do the same, pumpkinlover, I have added parsnips to cashew nuts for years, very successful!

It's so refreshing to read your views Borwnowl23 -
In the past I have been accused of being 'the rude one' for not being prepared to eat the same meal as every one else, you know the theory that's it's rude not to eat what your host has prepared for you, I have to put this down to a genuine lack of understanding as to exactly what being a Vegetarian means, and of course this is not helped by all those people out there that call themselves vegetarians but eat fish chicken etc - I really sympathise with  Chefs these days - you know 'and what sort of a vegetarian are you?'. Over the years I have turned a blind eye to the little things, a bit of Parmesan etc so as not to embarrass, but never quite understood how any one could expect me to eat meat.

Ahh you see, i used to run a brownie pack and do week long holidays for them and used to be chef for it. I totally understand that there are people who chose not to eat meat and others for whom a choice of not eating something is made by the fact they have a severe allergy. Ive never done one pack holiday without someone (not counting myself) who was piscatarian (sp?)veggie, vegan or allergic. OK for that I used to do a version of what we were eating that accomodated their needs.
I myself am severly allergic to Lime fruit, give that to me and you'll be calling an abulance pronto.

I used to work in a military kitchen as a veg prep hand, and saw the chefs cook stir fry veg as a main meal day in day out for the veggies, I used to have a go at the chefs for that. They of all peoople ought to be able to pick up a recipe book and look for inspiration.

Why make life difficult for yourself and make two meals when you can all eat the same. a meal for me is about a coming together to eat together not about making someone feel awkward.

I love it when veggie friends come for dinner parties as it means ive really got to get my thinking head on to come up with something spectacular that will make both veggies and meat eaters alike think wow.  :)

[valmarg]

Two people that I knew that could honestly call themselves vegetarians -

The first was a young girl who just did not like the taste of roast meat.  She could just about manage a stew, but was not terribly fond of the taste of meat.

The second had been brought up during WWII.  Any pets such as chickens or rabbits eventually ended up on the table, and he could not bring himself to eat them.

valmarg

[PurpleHeather]

There are lots reasons why people say they are veggies .

Not all are totally veggie but most are also a bit health conscious. So never ever cook proper chips. They always seem to enjoy fresh potatoes cut into equally sized pieces and deep fried until soft in the middle and crisp on the outside. ( Not those disgusting things from the deep freeze which are warmed up in a hot oven) 

They love them but would never make them at home.  There is an old fashioned dish worth resurrecting. It Has spinach as the base, egg white whipped to a merangue and cheese stirred in. Put the egg yolk on top of the spinach and then top with the eggwhite and cheese then bake.

Cauliflower or Macaroni  cheese baked in the oven. Baked beans goes well with both.

Vegetable curry and the variations are immense. Served with rice and or breads  (I  make an Italian garlic bread to serve with it as my attempts at a nan turned out that way)  Any left over curry can be mixed with left over turkey chunks.

Easy one is to take a tin of condensed mushroom soup as the sauce.

Fry one onion and when clear but not brown add 200 gr of sliced fresh mushrooms. and 200 gr of cashew nuts. Mix in the soup and the milk to the correct consistency (your choice).

Then boil up fettuchinni  as the packet says and use the above as a sauce