help - vegan coming for dinner.

[HufflepuffRavenclaw]

Having friends over for dinner next week. Woman of the couple is quite faddy in her eating. Over the time we have know them she has been gluten-free for about 6 months, abandoned that and then gave up alcohol completely for about a year, stopped doing that and then cut out sugar, was also a pescetarian for a while. Latest is that she is vegan.

I am not a vegan and have zero interest in vegan food/cooking. I am looking for ideas which are easily adapted to vegan diets - so for example I could do tomato/mozzarella/basil and crusty bread for a starter and use vegan "cheese" for her.

Think I may buy a dessert for her as any decent pud has to have cream and butter in it.

Any ideas?

Here are some fine dining recipes that might be more of interest to you:

Here

... but you talk about her in such a disrespectful way - are you sure she's really a friend?

I'm guessing that her partner must be open to vegan options. You're post tone is really dismissive. I appreciate she might be faddy but it would be really easy to manage a vegan starter and dessert so she feels included. Garlic mushrooms on sourdough toast, avocado with Chilli and lime dressing. Falafel with hummus.

Make a vegan pud with vegan and none vegan ice cream.

There's some great veggie mains you could adapt. Moroccan veggie tagine with flat bread and couscous. Serve a yoghurt dressing on the side so she can avoid.

Doesn't sound like you really want to make her feel welcome.

Apple crumble? Brownie with (vegan) ice cream?

As someone who has been temporarily dairy free for the last 6 months, getting around dairy is actually pretty easy. And then the meat substitute normally just comes frozen in a packet so that's not exactly hassle either.

What’s the matter with nice food that is naturally vegan? A Thai tofu curry? For example.

There are 65 vegan dessert recipes on BBC good food.

You're just being difficult for difficult's sake OP. Imagine this was someone you loved and cared about. What would you make them?

I usually do a butternut squash, chickpea and spinach curry. Paneer or halloumi marinated in turmeric i grill separately for anyone who isn’t vegan.

Homemade rotis, mango chutney, onion chutney. Sometimes onions banjis.

You could do another curry with it either veggie or with meat if you prefer.

Nibbles/Starter- Bruschetta selection (can have just chopped tomatoes or tapenade on some); spiced nuts; humous and crudités

Main- from Ottolenghi Flavour stuffed aubergines in spiced lentil dal with rice; or whole baked cauliflower with pistachio and herbs from Diana Henry; or honey chilli tofu from Merra Sodha East or the aubergine pollichattu from the same book.

Pudding- lots of cakes are vegan. Meera Sodha has apple and caramel cake, brownies, banana cakes. You can make meringue or mousse vegan fairly easily.

Just uninvite them or get a takeaway. You're the one making it so difficult

Bruschetta is a totally vegan starter. You could do your normal stuffed chicken breasts and do a stuffed pepper/aubergine for her, broccoli with chilli and garlic and hassleback potatoes as sides for everyone.

I love Middle Eastern cuisine for entertaining, lots can be made in advance, a lot is vegan and you can add grilled lamb koftas if people want meat. It always looks really impressive (although it can be a lot of prep).

Lots of desserts can be made vegan, poached pears with vegan ice cream or sorbet. I’ve made a vegan pavlova and nobody guessed it was vegan. I’m not a vegan myself, but I like cooking for them, it’s a great excuse to try something new and increase your cooking skills!

Some people aren’t great cooks so I’m presuming that’s the issue here. OP also clearly has an issue with this woman and/or vegans.

How about:
starter: thai fishcakes/carrot coriander patty for vegan and Thai style salad
main: filo parcels steak/salmon/chicken and tarragon/mushroom and chestnut for vegan. Can all share a non runny sauce eg onions garlic port and veg sides
pud: Moroccan style citrus and almond cake soaked in juice (made with oil so vegan) with cream/ice cream/coconut cream/coconut ice cream for vegan?

People are misunderstanding - I don't want "vegan gourmet meals" .

I want ideas for dishes which have the same base and can be easily adapted. A bruschetta type starter is a good idea with a variety of toppings. Dessert can be shop bought for the vegan. Just the main course and may have to do something like salmon with vegetables and a nut cutlet or similar.

I'm vegan and regularly make a Thai green curry in the slow cooker that is easy and full of veg. Then at dinner time I take mine out, and add either cooked prawns or cooked fish to the rest to warm through for the rest of my family. Its easy, and everyone is happy

I’d be inclined to plan a menu that you want to cook but have a ready made (or semi ready made, eg bought pastry) option for the vegan. So, something to chuck in the oven for the main.
Pudding, you could do something and she just gets part of it. Eg meringues and fruit for her, cream for everyone else. She can have bought vegan ice cream.

I'm a good cook, actually. I just have zero experience in vegan food and zero interest in learning about it. I also don't have loads of time to schlepp around various supermarkets looking for vegan ingredients, and don't want to buy loads of ingredients I won't ever use again - that's just wasteful.

I do not have an issue with this woman - other than I know her faddiness history and think the veganism is just another flash in the pan. Same as the gluten free, and the sugar free and the no booze.

I went to a dinner party once where we had meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans.

The host did a brilliant job by bulk cooking two vegan curry sauces and then providing:
-chicken skewers
-eggs
-roasted chickeas and cauliflower
-paneer
-prawn skewers

and then we all just assembled our own curry based on our dietary preferences.

This is beautiful, easy to make and has always been a hit with non-vegans in my experience. You could always add chicken to yours if you'd prefer

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/satay-sweet-potato-curry

Such a nice idea.

I'm a good cook, actually

I think I’ve touched a nerve....actually. 😂

You don't need to schlep around for vegan ingredients - vegetables and pulses etc are all perfectly good main ingredients for vegan dishes.

You're making unnecessary work for yourself by doing 2 of everything. Curries are a great idea, plus Ottolenghi has some great veg/vegan dishes which feel perfectly dinner party worthy, and with lovely flavours.
There is loads you can do to cater for your vegan without the need to use substitutes etc.

I totally get what you mean about people and their faddiness, but cooking vegan for a dinner for 4 is not at all difficult, and if you're a good cook then I'd have thought you'd embrace trying something new...

OP: I'm having friends over for dinner and one is vegan, any ideas?

Everyone: Chilli, pasta, curry... something you can easily make vegan

OP: Nah chilli and pasta aren't fancy enough for a dinner party

Everyone: Okay here's some specific recipes

OP: Fuck that I'm not making something special

It sounds like you were posting this more as a dig at someone you perceive as being awkward and hoped people would jump on the "oh god not a vegan" train.

And you don't need to 'learn about vegan food'. You just don't use meat, fish, eggs or dairy (or honey).

And I say all this as a meat-eater BTW!

What a lot of judgement! They say you can tell when food is made with love. In which case I certainly wouldn't come for dinner at yours.

100% this. How sad. Glad people have seen through the act.

Hardly. OPs friend is known for constantly changing her dietary requirements. I’d be fed up of accommodating this all the time and I certainly would not make everyone else eat a vegan meal because of her.

Just buy a vegan pie or something OP.