over excited novice cook would like some advice for veggies supper party

[baskingseals]

i am feeling very enthusiastic about giving my first supper party in about a hundred million years

would like to cook something tasty, but have forgotton, if indeed I ever knew, how to cook anything apart from variations on a mince based theme, or heavily over decorated and largely inedible fairy cakes.

any ideas or advice would be very welcome. it's on friday, so have got time to get any ingredients.

thanks

Have you tried veggie sites? I'm hooked on foodgawker.com for recipes (and the pictures make my mouth water!) and a vegan friend uses mydish.co.uk (use the search bar for requirements, veggie heaven!)

My personal favourite veggie dish is an aubergine curry. Think there's a few on gawker.

Good luck with the party! :)

thanks modded mummy, i've had a look at food.gawer and the food looks delicious, but i can't seem to find a list of veggie dishes.

thanks for the luck - think i might need some!

any more inspiration gratefully received.

Well, how do you feel about veggie pasta dishes? Always a good choice I think. But lots of people don't like to serve pasta for dinner parties. Or a vegetarian risotto? Nigella does a great lemon one which is lovely.

butternut and spinach and pea curry is nice? Basically curry paste and coconut milk in which you cook butternut, spinach and peas (spinach and peas added towards the end). I like to add a few butter beans too to bulk it up.

Warm couscous salad with roasted vegetables and topped with goats cheese?

Mediterranean veg stew? Whatever veg is freshest in the market, plus a tin of chickpeas and possibly some other pulses. Put some marigold veg stock powder into boiling water, add chopped onion, garlic, veg and pulses, prob a tin of chopped tomatoes, then add a little saffron which you have already soaked. Simmer gently until cooked. Serve with couscous into which you have chopped garlic and parsley.

You can cook the stew ahead. Make sure the gravy isn't thin and weedy.

Starters v easy, go to deli and get Mediterranean stuff and serve with warm pitta.

foodgawker.com/post/tag/vegetarian/

This is the link to the vegetarian recipes on foodgawker.

thanks so much for all your suggestions. i think pasta is a good idea, even if it is a supper party, also like the idea of veg stew.

cooking tomorrow. i will also get plently of booze so if i do fail to deliver on the food front hopefully they wont notice.