Pescatarian for Christmas dinner - Gravy?

[IvyHollyberry]

This is taking up too much room in my head.

I’ve asked and they said they will eat around not to make a fuss just for them!

I’m going to have to make a little fuss otherwise they’ll be having a very dry plate of veggies and stuffing balls.

Will practice doing roast potatoes in olive oil and ditch the animal fat ones so we’ll all have those, no fuss.

Gravy needs to be special just for them - do I make this using fish stock, I’m not convinced it goes with sage & onion and cranberry sauce. I know the guest loves my homemade cranberry. Would veggie stock be better? Am overseas so can’t guarantee I can get a tub of pescatarian suitable ready made gravy.

Then I feel bad our guest will be eating only side dishes. Poaching or pan frying a fillet of fish is no trouble really. Not sure it will go with gravy thinking a herb or wine sauce may be better? Fish encroute could go only the guest dislikes pastry so that’s out.

Then I think I should add other vegetable sides that better go with fish? We usually have roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips, roast onions, carrot swede mash, boiled sprouts, carrots, baby potatoes, sage &onion stuffing balls and cranberry sauce. Also tempeh but guest dislikes texture so won’t have.

Then I think our guest will be uncomfortable that we’ve made too much fuss even though it’s not really a fuss and I should stick with olive oil roasted spuds and a pescatarian suitable gravy.

And around it goes in my head. Please make it stop, someone tell me what to do and then I don’t need to think about it until nearer the time.

Just use vegetarian gravy

Bisto gravy granules are vegetarian.

I'd suggest cooking a little piece of salmon in a foil pouch, and buying a jar of veggie gravy in case they want it on their sides - otherwise leave the same!

Ignore the fish. Fish stock in gravy 🤢

They are a vegetarian - do veggie stock, veggie sides and do a nut roast/veggie 'turkey' /vegetable pie/etc as the main

Pretty sure normal bisto gravy is vegetarian. The red tub.

Are they strict? Have you asked if they will actually not eat toasties cooked in goose fat? Most I've ever known just don't eat actual meat but don't read labels for animal ingredients in things.

I'd suggest cooking a little piece of salmon in a foil pouch, and buying a jar of veggie gravy in case they want it on their sides - otherwise leave the same!

Oh, and so the potatoes separately - don't deny yourself fat roasted potatoes on Christmas!

Most store bought gravy granules are vegan. You can get normal red Bisto and make it up with boiling water and veg water and use that for gravy it’s absolutely fine.

You don’t need to cook a piece of fish as we don’t eat fish with roast dinners. Pescatarian doesn’t mean fish is required. Just sides is probably absolutely fine or you could buy a nice veggie roast main like a small tart or wellington. All the supermarkets will have some nice options.

You don't have to serve them fish. Just don't give them turkey or pigs in blankets. You don't have to put anything in its place.

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I do cauliflower cheese as the main for my vege husband. And everyone else can have some as a side dish

Are they also vegan or just pescatarian?

Gravy or a sauce is easy to make without meat or anni products and can be made in advance. I don’t recommend Bisto gravy granules because they have a ubiquitous and smothering taste. If you don’t want to make anything then get a sachet of marks and Spencer red onion gravy. This tastes far better than their granules.

There is no mystery to making gravy or a sauce without animal products in it. It’s just a liquid with thickener and seasonings so Google for vegan gravy recipes

Vegetarian gravy - pescatarian doesn’t mean they need fish in it 🤣

Sounds they will appreciate if you find an easy, low fuss solution.

Please don't bother with fish-based gravy.
Vegetarian is ok, and maybe no special gravy at all is fine as well?

If they enjoy the cranberry sauce, they might not be bothered about gravy. Especially, if you plan to prepare them a salmon filet as their main, salmon doesn't really need gravy.

And your other sides sounds good.

Relevant point raised about asking whether the goose fat matters - some of the meat reductionists care about meat as such, mostly for texture reasons, but don't go fully observant.

Two completely different things...

I would do a few slices of fried haloumi. That would go with gravy and all of the veggies you mentioned normally cooking, maybe sprinkle a few chopped almonds on them ince they are fried, that sould be delicious with cranberry relish and roast potatoes etc

Yeah, as PP have said, being pescatarian doesn’t mean they need to eat fish for every meal.

There are several “make ahead” vegetarian gravy recipes that you could make and freeze. Jamie Oliver does one that I made one year and liked. That, and making the potatoes etc vegetarian is all you need to do given your guest has said they are happy with that. Nice and simple for you.

Just get some veggie sausages they can have with some yorkies and the sides. Do the potatoes in oil and get vegetarian gravy.

My daughter is a pescatarian- last year I made bought a very nice little caramelised onion tart and she had that with bought vegetarian gravy. This year I’m going to roast her a salmon fillet and she’ll have that with cauliflower cheese as her ‘sauce’ and everyone else will have some as part of the vegetable sides.

please don’t try and make fish gravy - that sounds quite revolting!

As a vegetarian this sounds perfect, and Bisto do a slightly fancier onion gravy that would work well with veggie sausages

You really cannot be both.

You can't put gravy with fish, that will be grim. Buy a pouch of nice quality sauce intended for fish. Like a lemon butter sauce with parsley or dill, or a cream and white wine sauce. Make one from scratch if you can be othered, but I guarantee at the point you are ready to serve up everyone else's food you won't want to be fiddling around making sauces and they won't keep well without congealing.

Just buy a nice ready-made one that can be bunged in the microwave or warmed up in a small pan.

I think you're overthinking the fish, just make extra veggie dishes. I don't eat meat, I make Turkey for everyone else, but on Xmas eve I always prep a fancy cauliflower cheese, with the addition of fancy cheese, cream and I roast the cauliflower.

Loads of gravy is veggie, I use veg stock and original bisto.

Could you get them a nut roast as a main? Doesn’t have to be fish.