Traditional, veggie, dinner party...

[WilsonFrickett]

DH has two colleagues coming over from India for a month and they're coming for dinner. AFAIK they're both veggie, my veggie standby is Indian, but of course I'd rather serve something different (because they'll laugh at my pathetic attempts at spicing )

I kind of want to serve something 'traditionally Scottish' - neither of them has been here before - but my mind has gone blank. Can only think of meaty things. Anyone any ideas?

Could you do vegetarian haggis with neaps and tats? and whatever else goes with it?

Was thinking of doing that as a starter madame - it's quite a high-risk choice for main as a lot of people don't like it (even the veggie kind which is less 'out there')

vegetarian haggis?? does that exsist?

im not Scottish so not too sure on specific dishes. but like yourself my husband has brought colleges round for dinner from India.. tend to find that they prefer just veg and pulses to meat substitutes. if that helps

here ya go veggie haggis article

I would go the lentils with roast meditterenean vegetables route...ottolenghi is your friend here, for great veggie dishes.

I was going to suggest vegetable lasagne before I saw your Scottish request.

or caponata with rice (Leon recipe is really good)

or sweetcorn polenta with aubergine sauce (ottolenghi)

Veggie haggis is lovely mis - I think it's even vegan usually - really good on its own, or for hash. But as I say an acquired taste

Thanks madame I have the Otto books, but would still like something Scottish if I can think of it. Maybe I could do a sort of stovies with haggis, though that doesn't sound very special either...

Nut roast is the most traditional veggie dish I think, but not Scottish...

You have to do something with oats - maybe for a pud? Cranachan without the whisky?

might be worth googling some fancy scottish hotels to see what their veggie options are...

kitchin

I really like the parsley soup idea for a starter

I don't think veggie haggis is that much of an acquired taste? I know a few people who prefer it to real haggis.

I'd probably do soup, haggis and cranachan...and tablet, Indian sweets are quite tabletty, so it could go down well.

Or a pie or bridie type thing, but vegetarian?

If you go the scottish produce route then there are lovely cheeses and the asparagus sounds fab, maybe with the old poached egg hollondaise route

Deffo cranachan Need to get DH to find out if they drink...

for example, a barley asparagus risotto with fresh green herbs would showcase scottish produce very nicely, with some of that crockie (sp!) cheese on top

But I think you could really ponce up the veggie haggis by doing an ultra rich mash, whisky (if they are not teetotal) gravy and steamed kale which is then sauted in butter.

Starter of lentil soup and oatcakes, main of veggie haggis, neeps and tatties mashed together with butter and salt and pepper, skirlie and pud of cranachan.

Apparently they have been seen to drink the beers. So everything with whisky it is!