Entertaining a vegetarian.

When I saw the thread title I had an immediate vision of a grinning Greatnan juggling peppers, courgette and mushrooms - I'll just get back to making the tea, shall I?

You never know - I am a woman of many talents!

*granny23"
Its don't be scared of vegetarian's week on GN.
The internet does have loads of ideas so even in France it shouldn't be too difficult.

We will be staying in Italy for two nights but as Anno likes fish there won't be a problem when we eat out. It will do me good to lay off meat for a week!

Lucky Anno!

Years ago I had a vegetarian sports student come to stay for a few days. When he arrived he didn't eat vegetables either . Can't remember what I fed him on .

And lucky me to have such great company!
Galen - I can't think of anything I would like more than to have you visit me but I don't think you can cruise up to my flat.

One wonders how he managed to stay alive, Tegan!

I think he ate pizzas. Even worse was when someone came to stay that didn't eat onions, and I realised that virtually everything I cooked contained onions [pizzas, chilli etc].

No wonder some vegetarians look so unhealthy!

I had a friend who was onion intolerant. I always had to remember not to put onions in my casseroles when she visited. Onions are so crucial to good flavour, I think! The casseroles seemed featureless without them.
Greatnan didn't starve me last time I went to stay so I am sure she will entertain me royally again. I have some very good recipes in the Weightwatchers' veggie cook book. Favourite is a spicy Moroccan stew.

O.K. Anno, you are hereby deputed to make that lovely stew. Just tell me what ingredients to get!

greatnan I remember years ago entertaining a vegetarian couple at a dinner party and we all ate veggie that night and by 10 o'clock the meat eaters were starving again!

This is a firm favourite with my vegetarian visitors and so simple: For 2 people, make a basic ratatouille from fried onion and tomato and I always add celery too in the saute stage, and then add e.g. - mushrooms, spinach, courgette, etc.

Put in an overproof dish and break 4 eggs carefully on top and bake in the oven till the eggs are "set" - you have to watch it ... (usually about 10 - 15 mins at 180). If you want it to be fancy, just before it's ready, scatter a bit of grated cheese on top and pop back into the oven till the cheese is melted.

Serve with mash or lovely fresh bread.

I like the sound of that, Grannyknot. I will try it for myself next week.

I like the sound of that.

It was our supper tonight and husband called it 'lipsmackingly good' . the 'extras' e.g. mushrooms are to bulk it out so no one is hungry later!

Plus I should add that the ratatouille must be nice and thick - not watery.

Lots of lovely vegetarian recipes on internet. But fish does widen your options, should be easy. You could always have meat some days and give her a veggie option with the same vegetables / salad/ starch.

No, I am looking forward to having a week without meat and to trying out new recipes. If a vegetarian were to move in with me permanently, it would be a different matter. I love salads and vegetables anyway.

Greatnan be warned that a lot of Italians consider chicken to be a vegetable. No I don't know why either!

When I was still at college we had a cousin come to stay for the night. My mother had cooked a meal ready for her - only to be told that she was now a vegetarian. This was in the days when shops shut at 5.30 so we ended up having to borrow a cauliflower from a neighbour to make cauliflower cheese. My mother was NOT impressed.

I'm having a veggie lunch tomorrow. Couscous mixed with chopped parsley, coriander, mint and wild garlic. Then some chopped tomato and mozarella stirred through with pepper salt and lemon juice.
I'm someone who hates salad but I love this for a take to work lunch.

I am surprised that some people find vegetarian meals a challenge as meat is only recommended to be eaten three times a week. What I find strange in this country area which I now live in is that many people put meat in everything they make. Such as they make a potato salad but then add ham. Some people around here have BBQs and will only serve meat, no salads, just lots of meat. Salads can be really delicious, especially those with wild rice, pasta salads, salads with avocado and cooked mushrooms etc, and salads can be very boring with just lettuce, tomato and cucumbers.

Deeda didn't your mother have some vegetables in the house. It is easy to feed a vegetarian the same meals if you are cooking meat with three vegetables type of meal, just give them the vegetables. I love roast dinners, I just don't eat the meat nor cook the potatoes or gravy in meat juices.

Me too, Faye! I often put sautéed mushrooms into a batter mix, and that is a lovely vegetarian addition - carnivores like it too.

I have been vegetarian for over thirty years - don't eat fish either - and it really isn't difficult. I will feed meat eaters, they will feed me. Simple.

I love stilton mushrooms - use big portobello mushrooms, break off the stalks and chop finely with an onion or shallots. Add a knob of butter and microwave for a couple of minutes. When cool, add fresh breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and crumbled stilton cheese - the final mixture should be quite firm. Pack the mixture into the mushrooms and put into a shallow dish with a little melted butter. You can then either bake in a medium oven for 30 minutes or so, or microwave for 5 - 6 minutes. Sometimes I nuke them for 3 or so minutes, then finish them off in the oven. Handy in that you can get it all ready in advance.