Veggie Christmas starter for vegetarian who doesn't eat...

[pushmepullyou]

...well virtually anything really. Specifically -

mushrooms
blue cheese
chestnuts
soft cheese - brie, camembert etc

Can't have butternut squash or goats cheese as I'm doing a butternut squash, sweet potato and goats cheese pie.

The rest of us are all fairly unfussy omnivores, but one guest is allergic to peppers and anything pepper related so can't use any of these. The DC won't reliably eat any vegetable so I need a non vegetable component to distract them with so the rest of us can eat.

Really struggling for ideas. Please help!

Melon?

How about a tasty soup?

Cauliflower cheese?

Tomato and mozzarella bruschetta?

Are they a strict veggie, would they eat fish?

Melon.

Will they eat feta? Courgette and feta type pastries are very tasty.

Thanks all

I could do melon, but tbh I can't stand it, and seeing as I'm having to cook I don't really feel inclined to do something I don't like.

Very strict veggie so no chance of sneaking a fish in under the radar - not that I would of course!

Tomato and mozaralla brushetta is a possibility as is a soup, but I'm struggling a bit for soup ideas that are 'special' enough but don't involve blue cheese or bacon

I'm vaguely considering something egg based as everyone likes eggs, but can't think of suitable dish

Hard boiled egg halved with wheaten bread or ian rankins soda bread, little garnish and drizzle of thousand island dressing. Very ?80s but very tasty...

X-post with fuckwittery. Yes might do poached eggs and asaparagus, although poached eggs are not my forte!

There is only the one veggie, but it's my sister and she would be very offended at being asked to bring her starter with her. I'm pretty sure she'd be offended at having a different starter to everyon else as well. Plus i'm not sure I can really face doing two seperate starters when I'm already doing two mains and possibly also two puddings (she won't eat christmas cake, Christmas pudding or cream).

Roast parsnip soup with garlic and veggie Parmesan?

I like the sound of that ja9. I'm finding it difficult to think of anything because really I want either pate, parma ham or figs stuffed with blue cheese (and wrapped in parma ham)

spicy parsnip soup - very seasonal

potato skins with sour cream/cheese - might go down well with kids too

second roasted veg salad - best with feta cheese though

tiny risotto

Oh God, I did a Jerusalem artichoke earlier this year. It was properly delicious, but the aftereffects were decidedly NOT!

a jerusalem artichoke dauphinoise. Not just an artichoke. That would be a bit mean"

I really fancy the parsnip soup but I was going to do parsnips and parmesan as one of the veg for the main and i'm worried it might all be a bit parsnippy

Do you really need to be fussing with a starter?

I don't eat eggs (and I'm veggie too - but I do eat cheese!!) but I would find a poached egg before a meal far too filling.

She would be ridiculous to have a different starter to everyone else - very childish.

How about pate - you could do the same for everyone or something 'normal' for the meat eaters and buy a specialty one for her (most of the supermarkets do them, esp at Christmas, it'll be a bit harder to find a non mushroom one though). Lots of recipes is you fancy making one to suit everyone.

She sounds like a PITA and that's nothing to do with being vegetarian!

She is a bit of a PITA tbh. She's very easily offended by imaginary slights, which is rather tiresome and insists on communicating through our mum who is also a bit of a stirrer

I may go with the cheese strings and sod it

you'll just have to hope other people do more outrageous things so your farting can go unnoticed

Oh, that fig and halloumi salad looks fab, as does the crostini. DH has just suggested scotch quails eggs which also sound good and I could do veggie and smoked salmon ones. The fig looks a lot less work though!