One vegetarian at Christmas lunch

[DecafSkinnySausage]

I have 9 already who will get the usual turkey and trimmings etc. A vegetarian friend is also going to come and I need ideas for a turkey substitute she can have with the veggies, cranberry sauce etc. (Stuffing and gravy will all have meat so needs to be stand-alone otherwise.)

To make things slightly more complicated she is on-call for a hospital so there is a chance she won't even be there to eat it! So nothing too fancy and preferably something I can freeze ahead as I am also working solidly for the 72 hrs prior to Christmas day.

I am thinking some sort of tartlet/mini quiche but I am stuck for flavours that will go with the rest of the Christmassy menu - everything I see seems to be tomato/asparagus/more Mediterranean.

I had this last year.

By agreement, I did a big cauliflower cheese. She had first dibs on it but everyone else had a bit too to the extent that our Christmas table will now not be without it.

That way there is no waste if she ends up not coming.

My veggie had been talking bracingly about places to get half-decent frozen nut roasts and sounded relieved and happy when I suggested cauliflower cheese instead. She is also gluten-intolerant though so our options were reduced.

Ask her if she wants something 'main' or just wants veggies! I'm veggie and although I love cooking, I don't always want 'a thing' for Xmas dinner as there's so much lovely veg to trough. As long as I get more potatoes than anyone else, I am happy! She may well genuinely not want to put you to too much trouble.

Cauli cheese would be lovely, a nice nut roast (pre-made) is fine, mushroomy thing is nice too and goes with Xmas food.

RE gravy, red Bisto is your friend and my guilty pleasure. 100% veggie, oddly. Can you whip up some veggie stuffing, even if just Paxo?

I'm a veggie and I am more than happy with just the vegetables and roast potatoes. However if someone made a cauliflower cheese as well that would be delicious. (I always add leeks and broccoli as well, with a good dollop of mustard in the cheese sauce.)

Hope all goes well.

Mushroom stuffing... Mmmmmm. I miss that (now allergic).

Didn't know that about red Bisto - eek!

Just veg is a bit dry, but bread sauce, cauliflower cheese sauce, cranberry etc perk them up.

I had one last year - bought a vegetable Wellington from Waitrose, which she had with the usual vegetables. I tried it, it was delicious.

If you can make a butternut squash type thing or indeed, buy a ready made one, I think the flavour goes well with a christmas meal.

Red Bisto does make good gravy, if you're vegetarian.

I didn't know people made stuffing with meat. Er, how?

Just put a Quorn Roast into the oven. Sold in most supermarket and store freezer section.

Or Cauliflower cheese. Otherwise just give her everything bar the meat and do an extra vegetable. My V DH couldn't care less about 'extra' V-dishes. He just eats a roast without the roast!

Giant mushroom stuffed with cheese?

When I have had veggies for lunch, I have made sure that one of the stuffings is veggie and exciting....usually with some nuts and dried fruit in it. And that (with everything else) goes down well. Make sure you cook it sep from the bird!

Giant mushroom with goats cheese on top and red bisto.

I'm a veggie with a gravy fetish, and red bisto is one of my favourite things! You can snazz it up by adding well fired red onion and a splash of red wine, but why mess with perfection ;)

I do a nice chestnut stuffing which is nice enough to be the main part of the meal. I also do a brocolli and cauliflower cheese for everyone.

Stuffing recipe is:-

I tin merchant gourmand chestnut puree
Pack of 6 linda mccartney veggie forzen sausages
I red onion
Pack of chestnuts (vacuum packed)
Breadcrumbs
Bit of salt and pepper

Defrost and crumble up the sausages, chop the onion and chestnuts, chuck all ingredients in bowl and mix together by hand then leave in fridge until needed.

Delicious!

There's a recipe in this months tesco magazine for a mushroom ad Camembert Wellington. It looks divine. You can make it 2 days in advance and leave in the fridge and bake when ready. If you can't find it I'll post the recipe :)

We are not veggie but even my DH is itching for me to make it!

Not that my DH can't make it himself... That sounds like he orders me to cook!!

He makes an effort but when it comes to proper cooking the kitchen is mine!!

M and S usually do a good veggie option.

Or, if you are feeling kind, below is is the most fantastic veggie Xmas main dish. It's delicious, chrismassy, a little bit special and others could have a bit as a side dish. It can be made in advance and then cooked on the day. If you have no room in the oven, you can cook it in advance and microwave it at the last minute. It will still taste great. And it's also pretty easy to make.

Chestnut, leek, apple and stilton crumble - serves 4, from Leith's Vegetarian Bible.

1 tablesppon of oil
30g butter
1 large onion, sliced
2 leeks
15g plain flour
290 ml vegetable stock
225g vacuum packed chestnuts, roughly chopped (but keep pieces quite big)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 green desert apples

Crumble
110g plain flour
55g butter
55g stilton cheese, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Heat oil and butter in a pan and when foaming, add the onion and fry over a low heat until soft and golden brown.
2. Trim roots and outer leaves from leeks. Cut into 2.5cm pieces and wash thoroughly. Add to the pan with the onion, cover and cook for 5 to 10 mins until soft. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min.
3. Gradually pour on the stock and stir until smooth and boiling. Add chestnuts to the pan with the thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 mins until the chestnuts are tender.
4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut into 2.5cm pieces. Stir into the pan and tip the mixture into an ovenpoof dish. Leave to cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F / gas mark 5.
6. Make the crumble. Sift flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter. Sir in the cheese and cayenne. Spread evenly over the top of the filling and bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins until the crumble is browned and the filling piping hot.

we always have cauliflower cheese - its one of the highlights of the meal - though we aren't vegi and have all the usual stuff as well. if she's happy with first dibs on that, it seems a great suggestion. its also good warmed up the next day if any's leftover.

I'd be more than happy with posh cauli cheese, but love chestnut stuffing too.

AngryFeet - liking the sound of the chestnut stuffing, do you cook it and if so how long for?

Heath you put sausage meat in the stuffing mix to make it non veggie

Fab, thank you - all those suggestions are making me hungry again (how long since dinner??). I like the cauliflower cheese idea or possibly the mushroom/cheese one. Although that crumble sounds yum....will see how much energy I have nearer the time. I am also somewhat partial to a bit of Paxo so that is a great suggestions - two stuffings!

Marking place! I'm a veggie and I don't normally do much over and above the veggies but losing the sound of the Stilton crumble thing.. May do this for Xmas eve as making shepherds pie for rest of family

Vegetarian haggis was one of my favourites.

Re- red Bisto ... Do you mean gravy granules are vegetarian ?

Chippy - Red Bisto

Just scroll along to Bisto Favourite Granules. And on the tub itself, it says it's suitable for vegetarians.

That red Bisto thing BLEW MY MIND yesterday.

Red Oxo has actual beef in it.