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.

Hollandaise sauce.

People can be such twats. I know someone who wanted to change a restaurant booking for 12 people because she 'only eats plant-based in the week' and didn't like the vegan food at a restaurant. I asked could she not swap one of her 'plant-based days' for one of her weekend meat days - she'd never thought of that 🤦🏻‍♀️

Wait! Are you serving fish? If so, white sauce not gravy.

If you’re serving a meat alternative like a nut roast or quorn or whatever just make some veggie gravy. Instant! OXO, bistro, own brand whatever.

Roast your spuds in vegetable oil. They won’t be any nicer roasted in dead goose or beef or whatever. Make a bit of paxo. Cranberry sauce etc.

Unless you’ve got any vegans Aldi parsnips in honey are nice too.

I do a vegetarian Xmas dinner every year and anyone who wants meat brings their own - cooked.

My parents are in their 80s, me letting them bring meat into my home is a compromise I gladly make but I wouldn’t do it for anyone else.

No one moans and they come back every year.

Sainsbury’s do a vegetarian turkey crown and veggie pigs in blankets.

Don’t make it hard on yourself. Default everything to vegetarian and add a little meat for carnivores. Otherwise you’ll end up cooking two lots of everything.

It’s just a roast dinner!

😂

M&S do an amazing vegan gravy (chilled) they also have some great ones on the shelf like onion and red wine. Pick a nice veggie main, they have loads now. Perhaps fish as part of everyone's starter?

You can't make gravy with fish stock and why would you want gravy on fish? Do a cauliflower cheese with plenty of cheese sauce, that will suffice/be nicer.

I know hence my question

I know what they both are, my confusion was because OP said the person is a pescatarian but then started talking about not doing goose fat potatoes!

You can’t

I know, like I said my confusion came from why OP said pescatarian but then started looking at alternatives for goose fat potatoes.

How, exactly, do you think someone can be both?

Why would you, on being told someone was pescatarian, assume they might actually not be what they say they are but actually be something else? And if so, why vegan rather than coeliac, or allergic to nuts, or strict?

And again, what do you actually think each word means?

A pescatarian wouldn't eat goose fat potatoes. Because of the goose fat.

I'm not inclined to take your assertion that you know what the words mean. Because clearly you don't.

For peeps who are pescatarians, or who expect pescatarian guests, I had a pescatarian boyfriend and we made this Rick Stein recipe several times. Wonderful, festive, rich and unusual: Halibut Soup with Cream, Apple & Dill.

It is a fair bit of effort, mind you. Also, apologies if it's been suggested upthread, but what about oysters? No cooking required. Don't need gravy.

I'd recommend coconut oil rather than sunflower oil. Has a much higher smoke point and if you use cold pressed it retains a slight coconut flavour. Alternatively you can get filly deodorised if you don't want the smell and taste. I find it the best vegetable alternative to animal fat toasties.

Geese are not fish based so a pescetarian is not going to eat something cooked in goose fat. Neither will vegetarians or vegans.

Ooh, I like scallops. And have a nearby Aldi. Chiller cabinet or freezer?

Thanks. I clumsily didn’t even think about what goose fat came from 🤦‍♀️

I'm veggie id be happy just with a massive plate of veg cauliflower cheese is good.
Don't do the toasties in olive oil.

Shocked at someone who said the vegetarians they know dont check labels ive been vegie over 30 years and still check labels as they keep changing things, (asda cafe im talking about your gravy here!). Wouldn't eat goose fat toasties either. Dd bought the wrong worchester sauce so I couldn't eat a chilli she made.
As a lot of people have said history red tub is veggie.

I don't understand.

A pescatarian can't have goose fat potatoes.

Edited to say sorry I was slow catching up

You could do a white cheese sauce to go with fish if they do dairy. Or just a white sauce.

Vegetarian gravy granules?

I don’t think they are being helpful whilst trying to avoid a fuss as the burden has now well and truly been placed on you.

I am pleased that you are now thinking veggie for the main course. Personally when I was veggie I would have been a bit disappointed if I was just served up the sides if someone had invited me to join them for Christmas Day. So I would look for some sort of main for them. I would try to avoid veggie sausages unless it is something they don’t normally eat and they may then feel more like a treat. They would however go with the side dishes. I would also be careful with the likes of Richmond sausages which can be very meaty and off putting for some. I wouldn’t have eaten them.

My personal preference would be a homemade nut roast, but they are not everyone’s cup of tea. Hence it would be easier if your guest gave some input.

I would go for a salmon risotto, you can precook the salmon, get the rice to the almost done stage, cool it quickly and put in the fridge, the previous day, then it should only take 10 minutes to assemble and finish off on the day, all the time consuming add stock, then stir is done. i don't think traditional Christmas veg really goes with fish