Dinner Parties - catering for a lone vegetarian?

Ok, I helped one of the regulars here some time back (a year or so?) with a dinner party recipe for baked ham cooked in stout... So it is pay back time - I now need some help

We have friends (just a couple) coming to dinner this weekend and one of them is a vegetarian (neither my husband nor I am). This seems to be quite common amongst the people that we have around for dinner: there will be one 'lone' vegetarian... Sometimes you can get away with cooking something pretty much vegetarian (on Friday I will do pasta with a homemade vegetable sauce, then will crisp some pancetta for the top for the meat eaters...), but other times (like Saturday night) you want to cook a meat based dish, so need a vegetarian alternative for you lone vege guest... preferably not a huge dish (because much of it might get wasted...).

I have a couple of things that I do, but am fast running out of ideas (and don't really want to serve a repeat guest the same things time on time...)!

Does anyone else have this dilemna and what dishes do you serve your vegetarian guest?

Thanks,
Boo

'Twas me, 'twas me! And - no word of a lie - the baked ham is still talked of fondly by our friends, one of whom asked me for the recipe just last month.

So, what to serve a lone veggie at a dinner party? Well, imagine it was the other way round, and you were the lone meat-eater with three veggie's, eating at said veggies house - what would they serve you? Sure has hell wouldn't be Chateaubriand, would it? I say you return the favour and serve up steak tartare or suchlike. That'll put some colour in their cheeks!

Or, if unlike me you're actually a nice person and a decent host to boot, why not make a mushroom risotto? Even the meat-eaters could go for that. Or a tartiflette without the bacon - it's a sort of French-style potato bake with cream, stinky cheese and wine; I can find you our recipe if you like.

And, if we have time, remind me to tell you the story about the vegetarians who came to our barbecue a few years ago and entrusted me with their pallid veggie burgers...

'Twas me, 'twas me! And - no word of a lie - the baked ham is still talked of fondly by our friends, one of whom asked me for the recipe just last month.

So, what to serve a lone veggie at a dinner party? Well, imagine it was the other way round, and you were the lone meat-eater with three veggie's, eating at said veggies house - what would they serve you? Sure has hell wouldn't be Chateaubriand, would it? I say you return the favour and serve up steak tartare or suchlike. That'll put some colour in their cheeks!

Or, if unlike me you're actually a nice person and a decent host to boot, why not make a mushroom risotto? Even the meat-eaters could go for that. Or a tartiflette without the bacon - it's a sort of French-style potato bake with cream, stinky cheese and wine; I can find you our recipe if you like.

And, if we have time, remind me to tell you the story about the vegetarians who came to our barbecue a few years ago and entrusted me with their pallid veggie burgers...

[HighFlyer]

I guess it depends what you and your guest like to eat. Vegetarian dishes dont have to be just vegetables or pasta. What about using soya or Quorn (which looks like meat and has a similar texture) to make spaghetti bolognaise or toad in the hole or any other dish normally containing meat? Or making a roast dinner and cooking a meat substitute item for the veggie (such as a Quorn grill) so that you can all share the potatoes and veg and you only have to cook one small extra item as opposed to a whole dish? THe same can be applied to the toad in the hole example, its really easy to make a large one for meat eaters and a single toad in the hole with two or three veggie sausages in a seperate dish.

I'd speak to your guest and see what kind of things they eat at home. I find that people tend to over complicate things when cooking for someone who doesnt eat meat.

Thanks,
Sarah

[HighFlyer]

I guess it depends what you and your guest like to eat. Vegetarian dishes dont have to be just vegetables or pasta. What about using soya or Quorn (which looks like meat and has a similar texture) to make spaghetti bolognaise or toad in the hole or any other dish normally containing meat? Or making a roast dinner and cooking a meat substitute item for the veggie (such as a Quorn grill) so that you can all share the potatoes and veg and you only have to cook one small extra item as opposed to a whole dish? THe same can be applied to the toad in the hole example, its really easy to make a large one for meat eaters and a single toad in the hole with two or three veggie sausages in a seperate dish.

I'd speak to your guest and see what kind of things they eat at home. I find that people tend to over complicate things when cooking for someone who doesnt eat meat.

Thanks,
Sarah

We have similar issue often, you don't have to all eat the same. why inflict their eating habits on everyone. (bet they don't cook meat if you go to them..)

Buy a top notch Veggie ready meal, de-package it and serve up, with some line on how you did the ingredients.- They'll never know, and you can enjoy your meat feast.

Failing that eat rare steak dripping in blood and serve up some dry quorn fillets with a side of lettuce...

Have converted a meat-dodger to eating fish, by consistently producing poor veggie alternatives... Thats not a challenge!!

We have similar issue often, you don't have to all eat the same. why inflict their eating habits on everyone. (bet they don't cook meat if you go to them..)

Buy a top notch Veggie ready meal, de-package it and serve up, with some line on how you did the ingredients.- They'll never know, and you can enjoy your meat feast.

Failing that eat rare steak dripping in blood and serve up some dry quorn fillets with a side of lettuce...

Have converted a meat-dodger to eating fish, by consistently producing poor veggie alternatives... Thats not a challenge!!

Mmmm . . . Quorn

A lovely little place near Loughborough!

Mmmm . . . Quorn

A lovely little place near Loughborough!

[Scrooge]

Yorkshire pudding and a few veggies [:w]

Where are Tink and Pete when we need them ?

[Scrooge]

Yorkshire pudding and a few veggies [:w]

Where are Tink and Pete when we need them ?

[Pete]

As a veggie myself, I'd probably raise an eyebrow if a Quorn fillet was presented at a dinner party. Pretty horrid stuff, especially when you find out how it's actually made. Akin, somewhat, to lifting a Cloche to reveal a Pot Noodle.

The trick with Veggie food - especially at a party - is to keep it simple. Your Veggie guest will probably feel uncomfortable if it looks like you've gone to far too much effort. I've been in those situations where I get a special plate, piled-high, with a laundry-list of exotic chargrilled vegetables that turn out tasting foul, so you eat as much as you can stomach then feign being full.

If you're cooking a main meaty meal that has side-veggies, then try and do something that can go with those so a large chunk of the meals everyone is getting are the same. Something like a stuffed mushroom, pepper or similar. If you're doing a risotto, chilli or pasta or something, just leave the meat out of one.

[Pete]

As a veggie myself, I'd probably raise an eyebrow if a Quorn fillet was presented at a dinner party. Pretty horrid stuff, especially when you find out how it's actually made. Akin, somewhat, to lifting a Cloche to reveal a Pot Noodle.

The trick with Veggie food - especially at a party - is to keep it simple. Your Veggie guest will probably feel uncomfortable if it looks like you've gone to far too much effort. I've been in those situations where I get a special plate, piled-high, with a laundry-list of exotic chargrilled vegetables that turn out tasting foul, so you eat as much as you can stomach then feign being full.

If you're cooking a main meaty meal that has side-veggies, then try and do something that can go with those so a large chunk of the meals everyone is getting are the same. Something like a stuffed mushroom, pepper or similar. If you're doing a risotto, chilli or pasta or something, just leave the meat out of one.

We have several friends who are 'veggie'. What my wife does is to make two lasagnes, one veggie, one meat. What we find is that even the meateaters will have the veggie option as well and both dishes are emptied (not in the bin!!!).

We have several friends who are 'veggie'. What my wife does is to make two lasagnes, one veggie, one meat. What we find is that even the meateaters will have the veggie option as well and both dishes are emptied (not in the bin!!!).

VEggie lasagnes are a good one to go for. I've even made them for the meat eaters before now and they've not known the difference. You can use frozen veggie mince and it ends up having the same consistency as beef mince. To add a bit of meaty flavour, I chuck in some Bisto gravy granules - which are vegetarian, strangely!
I also run the catering for the 50 people in our camp at Burning Man every year, and we always have a few 'pesky' vegetarians along who like to mess up the menu plan. I schedule in veggie alternatives to the meat dishes, using meat substitutes such as Chicken Seitan. (You'll be able to get this from health food shops). We end up with dishes like 'coq au vin' for the meat eaters and 'mock au vin' for the veggies. The good thing about this is that the chefs on the day can follow the same recipe for both dishes at the same time, and just prepare them in separate pans.

VEggie lasagnes are a good one to go for. I've even made them for the meat eaters before now and they've not known the difference. You can use frozen veggie mince and it ends up having the same consistency as beef mince. To add a bit of meaty flavour, I chuck in some Bisto gravy granules - which are vegetarian, strangely!
I also run the catering for the 50 people in our camp at Burning Man every year, and we always have a few 'pesky' vegetarians along who like to mess up the menu plan. I schedule in veggie alternatives to the meat dishes, using meat substitutes such as Chicken Seitan. (You'll be able to get this from health food shops). We end up with dishes like 'coq au vin' for the meat eaters and 'mock au vin' for the veggies. The good thing about this is that the chefs on the day can follow the same recipe for both dishes at the same time, and just prepare them in separate pans.

Originally posted by scally
VEggie lasagnes are a good one to go for. I've even made them for the meat eaters before now and they've not known the difference. You can use frozen veggie mince and it ends up having the same consistency as beef mince. To add a bit of meaty flavour, I chuck in some Bisto gravy granules - which are vegetarian, strangely!
I also run the catering for the 50 people in our camp at Burning Man every year, and we always have a few 'pesky' vegetarians along who like to mess up the menu plan. I schedule in veggie alternatives to the meat dishes, using meat substitutes such as Chicken Seitan. (You'll be able to get this from health food shops). We end up with dishes like 'coq au vin' for the meat eaters and 'mock au vin' for the veggies. The good thing about this is that the chefs on the day can follow the same recipe for both dishes at the same time, and just prepare them in separate pans.

or instead of meat substitute, use aubergines (eggplants), which has a meaty texture.

Originally posted by scally
VEggie lasagnes are a good one to go for. I've even made them for the meat eaters before now and they've not known the difference. You can use frozen veggie mince and it ends up having the same consistency as beef mince. To add a bit of meaty flavour, I chuck in some Bisto gravy granules - which are vegetarian, strangely!
I also run the catering for the 50 people in our camp at Burning Man every year, and we always have a few 'pesky' vegetarians along who like to mess up the menu plan. I schedule in veggie alternatives to the meat dishes, using meat substitutes such as Chicken Seitan. (You'll be able to get this from health food shops). We end up with dishes like 'coq au vin' for the meat eaters and 'mock au vin' for the veggies. The good thing about this is that the chefs on the day can follow the same recipe for both dishes at the same time, and just prepare them in separate pans.

or instead of meat substitute, use aubergines (eggplants), which has a meaty texture.

[HighFlyer]

Mental note - Dont serve Pete a Quorn grill when he comes to dinner! This is a really interesting discussion. As someone who doesnt eat red meat myself I seem to have quite polar opinions on what to serve. I'd honestly turn my nose up at a stuffed pepper or mushroom. I guess my train of thought is that just because you dont eat meat doesnt mean that you love to eat vegetables.

Would be interesting to see what things your veggie friend would recommend.

Thanks,
Sarah

[HighFlyer]

Mental note - Dont serve Pete a Quorn grill when he comes to dinner! This is a really interesting discussion. As someone who doesnt eat red meat myself I seem to have quite polar opinions on what to serve. I'd honestly turn my nose up at a stuffed pepper or mushroom. I guess my train of thought is that just because you dont eat meat doesnt mean that you love to eat vegetables.

Would be interesting to see what things your veggie friend would recommend.

Thanks,
Sarah

Couldn't resist.[:I][:I]

'Could she have wafer thin ham, Barbara?' - Nana from the Royle Family, when Antony's girlfriend announces she is a vegetarian.

Couldn't resist.[:I][:I]

'Could she have wafer thin ham, Barbara?' - Nana from the Royle Family, when Antony's girlfriend announces she is a vegetarian.

A more serious suggestion from my previous,

Stirfries can give you some more flexibility;
1. General noodle and oriental veg mix then de-wok & keep warm
2. Tempura some bits of veg, Pak choi, green beans,etc (easy to do, just make sure you use Ice chilled H2o for the flour mix)- always popular with meaty people as well
3. Dip some rice noodles in hot oil to add feature to top of dish. (go crunchy and stand up on their own)
4. Then griddle or stir fry marinated beef/ chicken strips separately

Enjoy.

Ken Hom

A more serious suggestion from my previous,

Stirfries can give you some more flexibility;
1. General noodle and oriental veg mix then de-wok & keep warm
2. Tempura some bits of veg, Pak choi, green beans,etc (easy to do, just make sure you use Ice chilled H2o for the flour mix)- always popular with meaty people as well
3. Dip some rice noodles in hot oil to add feature to top of dish. (go crunchy and stand up on their own)
4. Then griddle or stir fry marinated beef/ chicken strips separately

Enjoy.

Ken Hom