Vegetarians invited themselves for Christmas- got beef ordered!

[EdenFlower]

So, my vegetarian relatives and asked if they can join us for Christmas? I have it planned- joint of beef on order, I've perfected my roast potatoes and like them cooked in beef dripping, likewise the yorkshire pudding, my sprout recipe is cooked with pancetta, starter is parma ham and figs...and so on! Grrr! Now everything will need to adapted to be veggie because I'm not doing two versions of everything. It was already adapted to be gluten free for MIL but now two more special diet guests is a push.

Would it be rude to ask them to bring their own veggie options with them- nut roast and vegetarian gravy or whatever it is they eat?

You could always get frozen roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings so not having to make twice. Gravy can just be Bisto. It would be reasonable to ask them to being a main. At least you know they will bring something they like. I know some vegetarians like something in pastry for Christmas but personally I can't eat something heavy like that with roast potatoes etc. I prefer a nut roast.

I’m not a vegetarian. I’m just someone who knows how to cook.

I’m not eating your Christmas meal, I’m delighted to say

Okay, I'm fascinated. Please talk me through exactly what would consitute a good roast dinner for you, with detailed descriptions of the ingredients, flavourings, the various oils and fats used as applicable, and the methods for cooking please.

For example, how do you make your gravy and how do you make your roast potatoes? What's the method?

@YouJustFoldItIn

For example, how do you make your gravy and how do you make your roast potatoes? What's the method?

Roast potatoes I would generally use rapeseed oil. Gravy, I would make with meat juices. Brussels sprouts I would boil only, and would have them almost hard. Broccoli again barely cooked and roasted in soy sauce. Celeriac purée often, made with butter. What else?

When you say beef dripping for potatoes (is that right?) what is it do you buy a tub?

@MarshaBradyo it usually comes in a block, like butter or lard. Goose fat comes in a tub or jar because it's runny at room temperature.

Carrots and parsnips with honey, stuffing with peaches, bread sauce with milk and bay leaves. I can’t think of anything else.

I use a big knob of butter and vegetable oil on our roasties, they still get some of the 'animal fat' crisp that way. I also put garlic whole in there with salt and rosemary but I don't eat beef so not sure if that goes?

Cauliflower roasted in butter and crushed coriander seeds, with flaked almonds.

Also, you can just cook their potatoes on a different tray if you have the space? Realistically it would take the same amount of time, just theirs would be in a different oil/fat.

Creamed leek sometimes? Cooked with creme fraiche and Parmesan.

Broccoli at Christmas? How odd, particularly with soy sauce of all things.

@TatianaBis

Broccoli at Christmas? How odd, particularly with soy sauce of all things.

Yes, we talked upthread about clinging to traditions.

Carrots and parsnips with honey, stuffing with peaches, bread sauce with milk and bay leaves. I can’t think of anything else.

Yes I do parsnips with honey, but not the carrots. I only use peaches for stuffing and rolling pork, and I don't eat pork on Christmas day plus obviously peaches wouldn't be seasonal in December. No-one in my family cares for bread sauce so I don't make it.

How do you make your roast potatoes and your gravy? And how do you cook your meat? What fat do you use? What are the ingredients of your gravy?

It’s really easy to adapt all the side dishes to be veggie friendly. (I love beef dripping roast spuds / Yorkshire puds too, but I also love my vegetarian relatives, so 🤷‍♀️)
Main course - I do the normal Christmas meal, and make something in advance to freeze for the vegetarians - normally a nut roast. Which might be “samey” but it’s also traditional (and therefore the same as us meat eaters always having turkey).

@YouJustFoldItIn

Carrots and parsnips with honey, stuffing with peaches, bread sauce with milk and bay leaves. I can’t think of anything else.

Yes I do parsnips with honey, but not the carrots. I only use peaches for stuffing and rolling pork, and I don't eat pork on Christmas day plus obviously peaches wouldn't be seasonal in December. No-one in my family cares for bread sauce so I don't make it.

How do you make your roast potatoes and your gravy? And how do you cook your meat? What fat do you use? What are the ingredients of your gravy?

I’ve already said: potatoes cooked in rapeseed oil generally. Gravy is meat juices plus flour, plus veg under the roast, plus stock depending on the meat. Fat also depends on the meat.

Oh - and it’s also really easy to make a vegetarian gravy in advance and freeze it. This doesn’t have to be difficult.

Cauliflower roasted in butter and crushed coriander seeds, with flaked almonds.

Not with my Christmas lunch thanks. Bit weird.

Creamed leek sometimes? Cooked with creme fraiche and Parmesan.

Lovely. But not with my Christmas lunch thanks.

Just be a bit more flexible
Dd is only veggie in the family
Will cook meal as normal
Potatoes in goose fat for most but just stick a few in with the roast carrots and parsnips for her
Use oil instead of dripping for Yorkies
She can just skip the sprouts and pancetta
Make nice veggie main that's make ahead and other people will want a bit of.
This year I'm doing a Brie and veg pie thingy
Bisto veggie gravy is perfectly fine if just making a bit for two

@YouJustFoldItIn

Cauliflower roasted in butter and crushed coriander seeds, with flaked almonds.

Not with my Christmas lunch thanks. Bit weird.

Creamed leek sometimes? Cooked with creme fraiche and Parmesan.

Lovely. But not with my Christmas lunch thanks.

Clinging to those traditions?

Yes, we talked upthread about clinging to traditions.

You did, I don’t think anyone else cared.

Personally I’m not eating broccoli, cauliflower or leeks for Christmas - and I wouldn’t eat broccoli with soy at any time.

Yes it would be unreasonable to ask them to bring their own. A veggie pie takes no time with ready rolled pastry, tell them you made your own. Or go to Cook shop and pretend..

@TatianaBis

Yes, we talked upthread about clinging to traditions.

You did, I don’t think anyone else cared.

Personally I’m not eating broccoli, cauliflower or leeks for Christmas - and I wouldn’t eat broccoli with soy at any time.

Don’t then.

Roast potatoes I would generally use rapeseed oil. Meh. Flavourless.

Gravy, I would make with meat juices

Brussels sprouts I would boil only, and would have them almost hard.

LOL, how very 1995.

Broccoli again barely cooked and roasted in soy sauce

With a roast dinner? Urgh. Weird.

Celeriac purée often, made with butter. Nice. But even nicer if put around a chicken while it's roasting so it soaks up the flavours and caramelises in the fat.

@YouJustFoldItIn

Roast potatoes I would generally use rapeseed oil. Meh. Flavourless.

Gravy, I would make with meat juices

Brussels sprouts I would boil only, and would have them almost hard.

LOL, how very 1995.

Broccoli again barely cooked and roasted in soy sauce

With a roast dinner? Urgh. Weird.

Celeriac purée often, made with butter. Nice. But even nicer if put around a chicken while it's roasting so it soaks up the flavours and caramelises in the fat.

Why weird?

@LakeShoreD

Don’t adapt what you’ve planned. I’d get them some pre prepared festive option from M&S that you can bung in the oven.

Yep, this or get them to bring their own.