A vegetarian friend is flying in later today. Under other circumstances I’d head to Pino’s and pick up a few prime cuts, but clearly that’s out. I’m not completely clueless, but I was looking for a new idea for a ‘company’ meal—something several tier above rice and beans. (Though I do keep a pinch of saffron in the cupboard, so that may not be completely out. In fact, I could fire up the pressure cooker if there’s a good enough dry bean recipe.)
Any thoughts? What do you turn to when you want to pull out all the stops for guests?
(And for the carnivores who can’t help themselves: “hur hur, sneak a steak into it; hur hur don’t bother; hur hur there’s no such thing…” There. It’s been said. Now you don’t have to feel compelled to express your machismo, so all you’d be expressing is your propensity for troll-hood.)
Everyone loves to cook here, so ease isn’t necessary. A fine element, though–no need to be complicated for complication’s sake. I like the parm or lasagna route.
Do you know if they like Indian cuisine? That offers a countless array of choices.
Stuffed peppers, stuffed tomatoes, or stuffed onions (obviously stuffed with rice, lentils, etc. rather than ground meat as is so often done).
Polenta grilled/fried
Roasted or grilled portobello mushrooms are frequently used in place of meat.
Not because I’m opposed to meat, but because I’m opposed to gout pain, I just made a veggie crock pot chili that turned out respectfully well. I used lot’s of beans, a large can of pre-seasoned chili beans, tomato sauce, diced jalapenos, diced potatoes, hot sauce, and some dry spices. Morningstar makes a fake ground beef called Crumbles, and those are not terrible in a crock pot.
Overnight on low, and this stuff is not bad. “Not Bad” is not a bad rating for veggie-chili, in my book.
Italian cuisine is a good choice for a vegetarian dinner. It’s popular and generally acceptable. And it’s easy to make vegetarian versions of familiar meals like lasagna or spaghetti.
Go Armenian. Imam bayildi, yaprak sarma, and a tossed salad. Real Armenian string cheese and grapes for dessert. I guarantee they will think it’s the bomb.
I handled a single vegetarian among carnivores by making minestrone with vegetable stock, homemade soft pretzels with cheese sauce, and then grilled chicken sausage for the ones who wanted it. I felt like everybody was well-fed.
I love squash stuffed with a highly-seasoned mix of cottage cheese, chopped kale, craisins and/or gold raisins, sautéed leeks, garlic, panko, Parmesan, chopped sour apple, and an egg for binder if that’s okay for your guest. Seasonings include black pepper, rosemary, tiny bit of red pepper flakes, thyme, and a little sage if you like sage. And salt, of course. I usually use a delicata for this. The recipe
I based it on is from Serious Eats.
One I have people coming back for is a stuffed aubergine dish I think I invented.
Start by making baba ganoush. Scrape the contents of the charred aubergines into a bowl, but keep the skins unharmed to the side. Make into baba ganoush*, mix that with caramelised red onion, grilled courgette, copped cherry tomatoes and if you like any kind of bean or pulse (eg white beans or chickpeas do fine). Pop the mixture back into the skin, wrap them in foil and put them back in the oven while you make the couscous for the side. Just before you serve you can crumble some feta cheese on top if they aren’t vegan/if you like.
You could also do quinoa for the side, as an alternative to couscous with more protein.
Amounts are somewhat difficult to judge because it really depends on the size of the aubergine. If they are on the small side aim for a whole aubergine p.p.
Baba ganoush: grill aubergines until they’re charred and soft. Scrape contents into a bowl. Add: lemon juice, good olive oil, tahini paste, cumin, salt, black pepper, chili pepper. Other herbs and spices optional & to taste.
+1 on Italian or Indian. Homemade pizza is good if you can do it well and want to make several options. Or stir-fried tofu in whatever Asian-style dish you like.
Also: make a dish you’ve tried before, and that at least some of your other guests will eat on the night. Your friend doesn’t want to be the only one eating The Special Dish.
I make a teriyaki apple tofu stir fry. Just chop up a granny smith or two into 1" cubes, get a firm tofu (already cubed if available), and add in a few cans waterchestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn, broccoli, etc. Add teriyaki sauce and call it a meal. It’s pretty tasty.
One year I had a vegetarian come for Thanksgiving - I added a Three Sisters soup to my menu, and she was happy.
And vegetarian chili is simple and tasty in a crock pot. I actually mixed a pot up tonight, and will plug it in tomorrow before work.
Oh, and I’m not a vegetarian. But these are all so tasty that I can enjoy them without meat.
This red lentil and butternut squash soup has been an obsession for me and my son since I first tried it. It’s really more of a stew than a soup, packed with flavor, and very hearty. One caution is that the amount of liquid in the recipe is woefully inadequate. I use vegetable broth instead of water and more than double what the recipe calls for. The last time I made it, I about tripled the recipe, thinking that I could freeze the leftovers. My son and I devoured it for dinner that night and finished it up at lunch the next day. So much for leftovers!
Cannelini are your friend (even better if you can get them dried and cook them yourself). Something along the lines or minestrone w/white beans or pasta e fagiole.
Great idea to ask! I made a vegetarian casserole recently. The vegetarian guest (I later learned from my son) would have preferred something simple like a salad or cheese pizza. I stir-fried vegetables, tossed them with some marinara and poured corn bread batter over it to get a gluten free and vegetarian meal (but not vegan). If the gluten-free part is important, make sure the corn bread mix is compliant.
I always make a baked pasta dish for my sister who is a vegetarian, but not a vegan.
Chop up the veggies of your choice , depending on what looks good… Chunk up , toss with EVOO and S&P. Roast at 450 for 25 minutes. I prefer onions, squash, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.
Boil a pound of cavatapi
Make a bechemel sauce. Put in a few tbs of a prepared pesto sauce, and a cup of grated gruyere.
Mix the veggies, pasta and sauce, and put in a casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with parm. Bake until a little brown and crunchy.
Use vegetarian broth to boil spaghettini, then add sesame oil, sweet soya sauce and a chili sauce to taste. Now throw in blanched sliced vegetables of your choosing. I always include some matchstick carrots for colour, and bean sprouts, green onions, matchstick cucumbers, maybe broccoli or bok choy. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and a lime wedge. Asian noodles, couldn’t be simpler.
I usually serve a side of roasted vegetables, whatever I have around. They really seem to appreciate it’s more than one dish. (It helps that the meat eaters are always asking if they can try those noodles! Veggie types love that!)