Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Vegetarian menu in 3 weeks


mojoman

Recommended Posts

After getting some responses, I realize that I posed the question poorly (many people criticized the menu for being too heavy and cheesy - I believe it's justifiable because 3-5 omnivores are accomodating one vegetarian and the vegetarian is not an anorexic slip of a person) and wish I could re-write the title lines.

I am hosting a dinner party for one ovo-lacto vegetarian and three or five onnivores.

Does anyone have any really tasty vegetarian (ovo-lacto OK) dishes?

Edited by mojoman (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly, it seems like a lot of heavy food. Eggplant parmesan is substantial enough without serving a soup, but if you want, how about making the entire meal more Italian-oriented with a lighter Minestrone instead of potato-leek? Salad-wise, consider some light antipasti; onions, pickled things, and cheese. Then leave out the post-prandial cheese course since you are obviously going to have cheese on the Eggplant AND in the pasta.

There is also a really good salad in Jeff Smith's Italian cookbook with asparagus and oyster mushrooms which I adore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed on the soup front. You could also do a twist on the meal by going with a heartier minestrone with some yummy crusty bread. Start with a salad and that's a rustic yet tasty meal.

If you are looking for something more substantial, however, I think you don't need BOTH the eggplant parm and the pasta. If you want to work with the cauliflower, you could serve that as a side with the parm.

or...I invented a delicious pasta dish that incorporates sun-dried tomatoes and baby arugula in a mix of broth/white wine/tomato soaking liquid. It's light yet delicious with some parm and cracked black pepper.

**You may not need this reminder but, as a vegetarian, I just can't help myself! Be sure the soup doesn't have any chicken/meat stock in it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all, thanks for the responses, Carolyn and zeffer. Your responses did make me realize that I asked the question wrong.

The question I pose to the forum is, does anyone have any really tasty veg (ovo-lacto OK) recipes?

I realize that the menu is on the heavy side. However, 1. three of us are not vegs and 2. it's winter so I'm not looking for a light menu; I'm looking for something substantial. I do think I'll substitute the cheese course with something else...I'm hoping for an interesting recipe here. Again, it's winter and we have some hearty appetites here so I'm not looking for a light salad...rather something along the weight of a cheese course.

I've already decided to nix the apfel strudel. I'm gonna make orange confit with caramel-chocolate mousse.

I'm a medical scientist so I know what products contain meat products and the vegetarian that I'm hosting is not super hardcore about it (ie claims that she'll vomit if the slightest amount of meat-derived foods touches her oral mucosa).

Edited by mojoman (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My two cents: too much cheese/cream-y ingredients. Make the salad a nice bitter leafy green salad (maybe with some citrus in it); follow with a minestrone soup (no creamy soup, no potato - just chunky vegetables in a tomato-vegetable broth with some beans and greens); eggplant parmagiana should be your main event. If you want to serve a pasta with it, make it something like aglio olio - a little spicy, not cheesy - or serve with a hearty portion of your roasted cauliflower on the side and some excellent bread. At this point yes, you can serve a cheese course since there hasn't been a ton of cheese - have some grapes on the platter. And your idea of a chocolate mousse for dessert is excellent.

We're not vegetarian but entertain lots of 'em. I find the biggest problem carnivores have when feeding vegetarians is that they feel they have to add a lot of protein to make up for the missing meat. Not true. You can serve - and enjoy - a generous portion of the parmagiana and it's very very satisfying and no one will feel like it's too skimpy. I swear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I strive to be a good host. However, three (or five) people (omnivores) are accomodating one vegetarian here.

If "we" want more protein, heavier, etc. I feel that the vegetarian can accomodate us in that regard. I will ensure that there is plenty (quantity wise) of the light dishes for the veg to eat that if she so wishes.

NB The veg is not a 98 pound wisp of a girl; I believe that she eats some substantial meals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My two cents: too much cheese/cream-y ingredients. Make the salad a nice bitter leafy green salad (maybe with some citrus in it); follow with a minestrone soup (no creamy soup, no potato - just chunky vegetables in a tomato-vegetable broth with some beans and greens); eggplant parmagiana should be your main event. If you want to serve a pasta with it, make it something like aglio olio - a little spicy, not cheesy - or serve with a hearty portion of your roasted cauliflower on the side and some excellent bread. At this point yes, you can serve a cheese course since there hasn't been a ton of cheese - have some grapes on the platter. And your idea of a chocolate mousse for dessert is excellent.

We're not vegetarian but entertain lots of 'em. I find the biggest problem carnivores have when feeding vegetarians is that they feel they have to add a lot of protein to make up for the missing meat. Not true. You can serve - and enjoy - a generous portion of the parmagiana and it's very very satisfying and no one will feel like it's too skimpy. I swear.

Not to be rude, but I did alter my question after the first two responses. I am not seeking comments on the menu. I changed the question on post #4 though so I will assume that you just responded to the OP.

I will have ample quantities of "light" fare is the veg wants to keep it light. The rest of us are omnivores and will want to partake of a heavier meal...it's winter after all.

Edited by mojoman (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mushroom strudel from the original Moosewood Cookbook. Yum.

Whole pumpkin, stuffed with a spinach custard or wild rice/nut stuffing (whole stuffed pumpkin makes a great party presentation!).

Meatless meat loaf, covered with duxelle and pastry, similar to beef wellington (serve with mushroom gravy) (actually, you could do two wellingtons - meat and non-meat - and make all of your guests happy!)

I would suggest getting away from cheesy entrees/sides because that's what most vegetarians get fed by non-vegetarians, i.e., predictable. I know that I sure got fe a lot of that kind of stuff when I was strictly veg. Keep the cheese course, though. Just my .02.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The onion and sage polenta from the Zuni Cafe cookbook is really great. As I recall, it's 5:1 proportion of water (salted) to polenta. When cooked (I like it at 2+ hrs, so it is a convenient dish to get started early and let it go as you finish everything else), add onion and sage (chopped) that have been sauteed in 4T butter and seasoned with salt and generous grinds of pepper.

I also like to do small pizzas when I have vegetarian friends over, but I don't know if that would fit into your menu. Or, some sort of roasted squash or other roasted vegetables. Brussels sprouts and cauliflower turn out great roasted on high heat with just salt, pepper, and olive oil. But anyway, if the only thing you're strictly avoiding is meat, your menu can still be incredibly abundant and filling. That's not too much of a restriction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to be rude, but I did alter my question after the first two responses. I am not seeking comments on the menu. I changed the question on post #4 though so I will assume that you just responded to the OP.

I will have ample quantities of "light" fare is the veg wants to keep it light. The rest of us are omnivores and will want to partake of a heavier meal...it's winter after all.

Ok - right. I went back and re-read your revision. Sorry, I hadn't read it carefully.

Having said that, I think I was reacting to two things. One: my personal feeling of bloat after the ridiculous meatfest that was the holiday season. I've felt very overloaded lately and my immediate instinct is to go with lighter dishes, never mind the weather (and I'm in Canada). And the other reason is that I recently began to notice how much cheese shows up in recipes these days. I've been on a personal mission to eliminate it from all but one course of any given meal. But, of course, that might just be me.

Edited to add that I am an idiot and can't figure out how to properly insert a quoted section. Just pretend I did.

Edited by Nyleve Baar (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...