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Christmas

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Vegetarians invited themselves for Christmas- got beef ordered!

874 replies

EdenFlower · 18/11/2021 16:48

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?

OP posts:
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YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 09:06

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean other people don't. I like broccoli only just cooked, the same with other veg. That doesn't make me wrong, it's called different tastes.

Yes, that was kind of my point. Horses for courses. You are telling the wrong person.

Why does a poster get to tell me and that my traditional Christmas dinner cooked in a pretty traditional way sounds 'bland' and 'bizarre' because there is 'so much meat' and too much 'meat flavour' and that I am sticking to 'weird tradition' in having 'only one flavour on the plate' but I am not supposed to critique her idea of Christmas dinner?

I think if you asked most people in this country which foods shout 'Christmas' to them, whether it's goose fat roast potatoes and maybe crispy pancetta stirred through their sprouts, or almost raw sprouts and broccoli doused in soy sauce, cracked coriander seed on cauliflower and leeks cooked in creme fraiche and parmesan I think I know which they'd pick. Not that there is anything wrong with those dishes per se, but to call my Christmas roast 'bizarre' and then serve that, is well...bizarre.

GrumpyPanda · 19/11/2021 09:18

[quote EdenFlower]@MarshaBradyo I tend to buy beef dripping in a jar rather than use the fat from the meat- the meat cut I buy is often too lean to generate much fat in reality.

I often do olive oil roasties when it's not christmas as a healthier alternative and they turn out fine but like to be traditional at Christmas. Keep meaning to try goose fat one day.

Dripping cooked chips are the best chips![/quote]
Goose fat is heavenly, especially with potatoes, so absolutely do try. It's actually goose season here (based in Germany atm) so just got a whole block from the fabulous poultry guy at the farmers market for rendering. Also sold as a spread mixed with crackling and often apple or dried chanterelles. Oh and goose fat is good for roast chicken too, just rub on the skin with plenty of salt and pepper.

EdenFlower · 19/11/2021 09:21

@YouJustFoldItIn just ignore @Pumperthepumper and her 'meat juice' comments- you know full well your Christmas dinner sounds lovely and traditional and there is not 'meat flavour' in all your side dishes, just the appropriate ones. She's being deliberately goady! We need to stand up for British cuisine- I love food from other cultures as much as anyone, but it's not necessarily superior- I don't feel I'm 'clinging on to tradition', I feel I'm cooking a meal with familiar flavours and maintaining a family tradition which most people relish.

OP posts:
BiddyPop · 19/11/2021 09:21

I don't use bistro granules, but I do use bistro powder as the basis of my gravy. I add a good glug of wine to the mix, and usually the water I have boiled carrots in or else some stock (if I've had time to make turkey stock - veg stock would work well). I often season with some Worcestershire sauce if serving beef, a dash of balsamic for pork, etc.

You could do most of the gravy using a veg basis, put aside a small pot for the veggies, and then add the meat juices and any specific beef-related seasonings for the meat eaters.

Roasted root veg can suit everyone. Steamed carrots and parsnips (10 minutes only needed) and tossed with onion, garlic, butternut squash, juice of a clementine, olive oil, dash balsamic, thyme, salt, pepper) and into the oven. (Sorry, I know the dreaded squash, it's not entirely necessary but we like it mixed into the veg this way).

Sprouts are easy to either pull out a couple of servings before adding pancetta, or to do a few plain steamed servings if you already have the steamer out.

Maybe 1 extra plain veg like peas which you can have in the freezer and cook last minute if you need something more.

Something like stuffed peppers (rice or couscous based) stuffed mushrooms (bread stuffing, or blue cheese based) , stuffed courgettes (diced veg and couscous or rice again) could all be prepared in advance and go into the oven once the beef is out and resting. As a way to avoid the nut roast/Wellington/squash options. These are all available to buy or easy to make at home.

You could do a small pan of roasties in olive oil alongside the big tray of beef dripping ones. Maybe cut the veggie ones a different way (you could do them as smaller sized, or diced, or roasted baby potatoes still with skin on) to make it easy to identify on the table.

ILoveShula · 19/11/2021 09:23

How do you powder bistros? Is it the building or just the interior?

DrGoogleSaysSo · 19/11/2021 09:26

Don't change your menu, just try to add things for the vegetarians that won't take much time, e.g melon for their starters, a cauliflower cheese, some aunt Bessies yorkies and roasties, let them know what you've got and tell them to feel free to bring something.

BiddyPop · 19/11/2021 09:26

I like powder blue on the inside of my bistro's but outside needs to be a proper gravy brown colour 🤣

Doomscrolling · 19/11/2021 09:27

OP, a simple onion gravy is pretty straightforward and freezes well - I do it all the time because I’m lazy so I make double to save the bother in the future.

Mine is slowly cooking the onions in butter, add flour and make a roux, add either vegetable stock or mushroom stock from steeped dried mushrooms. Sieve to remove the onions if you prefer a smooth gravy. A dash of Marmite and Henderson’s relish to taste.

DottyHarmer · 19/11/2021 09:37

Agree with @BarbaraofSeville about asking. If someone is coming for Christmas Dinner, then they know it will be turkey. If a vegetarian is coming, then their main event could be anything. You don’t want to bust a gut cooking a fancy vegetarian/vegan dish and they turn their nose up at it. I was stung like this when I made Delia Smith’s vegetarian moussaka (it’s delicious!). The guest hummed and haaad and looked at it as if I had presented poo pie with a sprig of parsley on top.

A vegetarian who is additionally fussy should say to their hosts in advance “I’ll just have the vegetables” otherwise they will have the trauma of having to wade through a nut roast or the host will be seething that their culinary efforts have been spurned if the guest refuses a portion.

EnidFrighten · 19/11/2021 09:40

Buy a main. Ask them to bring their own starter. Do a separate tray with aunt Bessie potatoes and Yorkshires. They can skip the sprouts. Gravy from granules. Not that hard!

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 09:40

Are we still banging on about nut roasts for vegetarians? Ugh. News flash - vegetarianism has moved on since the 1970s. Just because supermarkets sell them doesn’t mean vegetarians actually want or like them.

No need to be so rude and dismissive. The point is that traditional Christmas dinner is a roast of some kind with accompaniments, so that’s why people are looking for a vegetarian centrepiece.If I was cooking for vegetarians or vegans for any other meal the last thing I’d cook is a roast but on Christmas Day there’s no way I’m cooking a completely separate meal. Some nut and vegetable ‘roasts’ are delicious anyway, and far more appetising than the utter processed crap that some vegetarians and vegans eat.

Could not agree more. Nut roasts tend to contain chestnuts as well as other nuts, maybe lentils or other pulses, root veg etc, which are a traditional Christmassy, wintery foods hence why they are often suggested. It's just an attempt to include the vegetarians in the Christmassy theme, although judging by some of the reactions on here I wonder why we'd bother in future.

Also instead of having a snark suggest other options?

Absolutely right. The sneery reaction to some of the appropriately festive suggestions on this has been a real eye opener. All that 'God no, not more mushrooms/another risotto/stuffed squash/thing wrapped in soggy pastry' and also 'I hate goats cheese/beetroot/insert vegetarian food as applicable' and 'stop trying to give vegetarians things you think they eat. They just want normal food.'

Followed by list of 'normal food' being jacket potatoes, egg and chips, omelette and a tub of hummus.Confused

As a host how the fuck are you supposed to serve that for Christmas dinner without it looking like a passive aggressive dig?

I mean if that's how you genuinely prefer to eat then fine, but don't roll your eyes at hosts being kind enough to consider you might actually like to eat something that isn't a jacket potato with beans on Christmas Day.

MarshaBradyo · 19/11/2021 09:44

@YouJustFoldItIn

Are we still banging on about nut roasts for vegetarians? Ugh. News flash - vegetarianism has moved on since the 1970s. Just because supermarkets sell them doesn’t mean vegetarians actually want or like them.

No need to be so rude and dismissive. The point is that traditional Christmas dinner is a roast of some kind with accompaniments, so that’s why people are looking for a vegetarian centrepiece.If I was cooking for vegetarians or vegans for any other meal the last thing I’d cook is a roast but on Christmas Day there’s no way I’m cooking a completely separate meal. Some nut and vegetable ‘roasts’ are delicious anyway, and far more appetising than the utter processed crap that some vegetarians and vegans eat.

Could not agree more. Nut roasts tend to contain chestnuts as well as other nuts, maybe lentils or other pulses, root veg etc, which are a traditional Christmassy, wintery foods hence why they are often suggested. It's just an attempt to include the vegetarians in the Christmassy theme, although judging by some of the reactions on here I wonder why we'd bother in future.

Also instead of having a snark suggest other options?

Absolutely right. The sneery reaction to some of the appropriately festive suggestions on this has been a real eye opener. All that 'God no, not more mushrooms/another risotto/stuffed squash/thing wrapped in soggy pastry' and also 'I hate goats cheese/beetroot/insert vegetarian food as applicable' and 'stop trying to give vegetarians things you think they eat. They just want normal food.'

Followed by list of 'normal food' being jacket potatoes, egg and chips, omelette and a tub of hummus.Confused

As a host how the fuck are you supposed to serve that for Christmas dinner without it looking like a passive aggressive dig?

I mean if that's how you genuinely prefer to eat then fine, but don't roll your eyes at hosts being kind enough to consider you might actually like to eat something that isn't a jacket potato with beans on Christmas Day.

Yes well said!

Plus we might start picking up more ideas just generally which is all good

alrightfella · 19/11/2021 09:44

I would hate any guests to feel they were inconvenienced in my house. My dd is a veggie so maybe I'm just used to it but it's really not difficult.

I'll do our potatoes and parsnips in olive oil/butter
Yorkshire's in oil
Will cook her separate vegan pigs in blankets and a main. I tend to buy something from M&S
And do her a bisto veggie gravy.

It really is very little extra effort.

Desserts I tend to just buy/make veggie ones. Anything containing mousse/jelly won't be vegetarian including lots of profiterole and cheesecake type puddings.

If you don't want them to come just say do. Don't let them come and make it a big deal. It's really not.

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 09:46

We need to stand up for British cuisine- I love food from other cultures as much as anyone, but it's not necessarily superior- I don't feel I'm 'clinging on to tradition', I feel I'm cooking a meal with familiar flavours and maintaining a family tradition which most people relish.

Exactly. Thank you. can you imagine how the shit would hit the fan if we tried to tell people from other countries/cultures that their holiday food traditions were 'weird' and their flavours were all wrong and 'just because you've always eaten XYZ at Diwali/Eid/Passover/Chinese New Year doesn't mean you always should. Perhaps you should try experimenting with more interesting flavours?'

ODFOD.

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 09:48

Will cook her separate vegan pigs in blankets and a main

I understand the 'pig' part but what is the 'blanket' here?

PurpleDaisies · 19/11/2021 09:54

@YouJustFoldItIn

Will cook her separate vegan pigs in blankets and a main

I understand the 'pig' part but what is the 'blanket' here?

Fake bacon
alrightfella · 19/11/2021 09:55

@YouJustFoldItIn Sainsbury's and aldi both sell vegan pigs in blankets. It's so easy to buy things these days I'm not sure why op is making it a big deal.

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 09:58

Fake bacon But what is fake bacon made from? Does it look/taste like bacon and have the mouth feel of bacon? A sausage can be made of anything, breadcrumbs, minced up pulses etc, but how on earth do you create a non-meat long thin slice of something that mimics bacon? Confused

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 10:00

Okay I've just googled fake bacon. I see it's rolled and pressed soya protein and pea protein.

Pumperthepumper · 19/11/2021 10:01

@YouJustFoldItIn

We need to stand up for British cuisine- I love food from other cultures as much as anyone, but it's not necessarily superior- I don't feel I'm 'clinging on to tradition', I feel I'm cooking a meal with familiar flavours and maintaining a family tradition which most people relish.

Exactly. Thank you. can you imagine how the shit would hit the fan if we tried to tell people from other countries/cultures that their holiday food traditions were 'weird' and their flavours were all wrong and 'just because you've always eaten XYZ at Diwali/Eid/Passover/Chinese New Year doesn't mean you always should. Perhaps you should try experimenting with more interesting flavours?'

ODFOD.

That is exactly what you said to me:

Broccoli again barely cooked and roasted in soy sauce

With a roast dinner? Urgh. Weird. confused

We’re leaning ever-closer to ‘that foreign muck’ here with this talk, and it’s making me uncomfortable.

YouJustFoldItIn · 19/11/2021 10:08

Sainsbury's and aldi both sell vegan pigs in blankets. It's so easy to buy things these days I'm not sure why op is making it a big deal.

Oh no. Big mistake. Vegetarians get very cross when people assume they can just they will be happy to eat things created in laboratories for vegans. They prefer their protein in a recognisable form with a name they understand, using ingredients they can visualise. I don't blame them personally. I'd rather have a good old fashioned nut roast or a stuffed squash or a risotto than a highly processed fake 'meat' product with an ingredients list I don't understand, any day.

PurpleDaisies · 19/11/2021 10:11

Vegetarians get very cross when people assume they can just they will be happy to eat things created in laboratories for vegans. They prefer their protein in a recognisable form with a name they understand, using ingredients they can visualise.

What, all of them?
Plenty of “vegetarian” food is also vegan. Loads of veggies eat quorn or other fake meat style products.

It’s obviously worth checking but you can’t make a blanket statement like that.

EdenFlower · 19/11/2021 10:12

My vegetarians would NOT want to eat fake bacon, I know that! They are vegetarian on principle of not eating animals so to eat something made to resemble an animal is weird in my view. Although, they eat eggs and dairy which I don't get either when those industries are one of the cruelest ways of farming. I don't have much understanding of vegetarians to be honest and even less of pescetarians- I have much more sympathy with vegans...

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 19/11/2021 10:13

They are vegetarian on principle of not eating animals so to eat something made to resemble an animal is weird in my view

BINGO!

TatianaBis · 19/11/2021 10:14

We’re leaning ever-closer to ‘that foreign muck’ here with this talk, and it’s making me uncomfortable.

No they’re not you’re just manipulating to find an angle to carry on your argument from last night.

Traditional UK Christmas dinner with Asian veg dish is a bit of an odd combination. I love Asian food and eat more Asian than trad English but I probably wouldn’t mix the two, and if I did I’d rather it was more skilful than broccoli with soy.