Roast dinner for two (one non meat eater) and easy dessert ideas

[fedupandnogin]

So I'm cooking for the new man in my life this week. He has suggested I cook him a roast. I like a roast and am happy cooking this but I don't eat meat but I'm happy cooking it. What would you do for him in terms of meat. I know I could get a chicken and cook it and use the leftovers for my children for the rest of the week. Any tips for advance preparation as well (and to make it extra special)? Also any ideas for easy pudding ideas that would follow a roast nicely.

I'd cook something veggie rather than two meals for two people.

The Leon cookbook has a really good nut roast with blue cheese in it.

Don't cook two meals! Just go veggie.

I'd just cook him a veggie roast personally.

Yup veggie roast all the way. Start as you mean to go on.

However do you usually eat a roast? Why is he telling you what to cook already?

If you really want to cook him something with meat, I'd get some legs or chicken quarters or breasts with skin and cook in the oven as you would a roast, but in a small tray.

Having said that, relationships wise, does he know you don't eat meat? Did you offer to cook him whatever he wanted?

"He has suggested I cook him a roast."

Why isn't he cooking for you or taking you out to a lovely restaurant at this new and exciting and romantic point in your relationship?

I agree about not cooking two meals, cook something that you will both enjoy.

This time of the year soft fruit is a quick easy pudding, strawberries and cream or raspberries and greek yoghurt are hard to beat.

Why on earth would he ask a vegetarian to cook roast meat? I think this might be a bit of game playing. Cook him something veggie.

Either veggie roast, or a chicken piece - with skin on for him, and the rest however you normally do a roast for you.

Pudding

I'm veggie, and hubby is a committed carnivore! Get some chicken thighs. 2 or 3 of those are as tasty as a whole chicken, so I'm told! Less hassle though. Bit of seasoning and chuck them in the oven. What are you going to have?

For pudding Eton Mess. But with passion fruit mixed in and some Greek yoghurt mixed in with the cream.

Some people really can't help dissecting and over analysing everything can they?

OP I'm assuming you WANT to cook this meal and are looking forward to doing it. hello I'm not assuming he's some sinister food mind game player or someone that can't be arsed to take you out for dinner

If you are happy cooking meat I would suggest something like lamb chops or the lamb cutlets French trimmed. They involve minimum contact w meat other than a rub of oil and rosemary. You could do your usual nut or protein roast and then either traditional veg and gravy or something more Mediterranean such as pesto on the lamb and roast tomatoes and garlic roasties with wilted spinach and peas. Lovely stuff.

For dessert something easy I do a lot is ready made GOOD chewy meringue nests. Mix M&S ready made crême pat with raspberries and pineapple and spoon these into the nests. Top with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream and roasted flaked almond, just assembly really and takes minutes. Tastes heavenly.
Or frozen fruit and ready made crumble mix with added ground almonds and a good shop bought custard. I've yet to meet a man that wouldn't polish off a crumble.

Hope you have a lovely time!

If he suggested you cook him a roast, I'm wondering (a) whether he can possibly know that you do not eat meat and (b) whether he can cook himself , so that he knows how much effort a roast is for the cook? I know experienced cooks can product roasts and all the associated parts seemingly effortless but for a one off, especially for someone not used to cooking meat, it's quite a high stress option.

It's also such a pfaff, with all the bits which need to be made at the last minute (while meat is resting) compared to a say casserole. In the run up to serving a roast, there will be lots to do, rather than you relaxing together with a glass of wine.

It also works brilliantly for a lot of people, and hence a large joint, not so well fir a single portion. In this situation, I would never cook a new menu, especially such a complicated one, for someone until i had had a couple of practise runs.

Would love to know a bit more about the background before commenting on how this looks to me.

That's very sweet of you. When I met my husband I was veggie. He would eat veggie with me but sometimes I would cook him meat. I wasn't very good at roasting meat rare and would roast a chicken until it was very dry. I would do slow cooked beef for a roast as it's pretty hard to mess up!

Brisket of beef. Fry it on all side to brown. Throw 2 chopped onions in and maybe a leek if you have one lying about. Add a few chopped carrots and some celery. Crumble a couple of stock cubes in with a pint or so of water and half a bottle of wine. Put in the oven on low for about 8 hours. If the beef isn't completely covered in liquid just turn it over every now and then. If the sauce gets too thick add more water. The beef will fall apart and the cooking sauce can be whizzed up for a gravy if it's too thin just thicken with some cornflower.

I would put that on in the morning and take it out when I needed to turn the oven up for roast potatoes and veggies. Can keep it warm on the hob.

Here I cook and am veggie, as is DS but DH likes meat now and then. DH has a chicken breast that he trims and puts in a dish with oil on and DS and I have stuffed portobello mushrooms (stuffing: spinach, nut butter, ground pumpkin seeds, the mushroom stalk) with pastry over if we're being fancy but usually not, plus stuffing, roast potatoes, onions sweet potato, mashed swede, boiled carrots, broccoli and asparagus. DH has packet chicken gravy and DS and I have homemade gravy (fry a little mushroom and onion, add red wine, blackstrap molasses and stock, then boil fast until thick and gravyish). It's a favourite for all of us.

Thanks for all the ideas. We are five weeks in and we've been out for dinner. It will be the first time he's stayed at mine. He knows I don't eat meat but I'm happy to cook it and do for my children. I'd just like to cook him something he'll appreciate and he suggested a roast so I'm happy to do it. It's really not that hard. And I'll do a simple pudding.

Rack of lamb would be a simple roast for one, widely available now, and goes well with all the roast style trimmings.

LTB

Only joking...I'd cook roast chicken and then use leftovers for your DC.

As far as pre prepping. Cauliflower & cheese can be prepared well in advance (even frozen and defrosted)

Potatoes can be par boiled ready to roast.

Carrots & broccoli I often cook ready and just warm up in the microwave before.

I often cook chipolates coated in chutney or marmalade (they go goey and brown) alongside roast chicken.

For pudding I would do pavlova (pre bought little meringue cases) with berries washed and prepared, cream already whipped in fridge & some coolie, ready to assemble.

Brave man suggesting what to cook! A roast is not a meal to be cooking for a romantic evening (especially if its a new relationship!) you will spend a long time prepping the food, have lots of different things to do and then be floating in an out of the kitchen hoping you haven't over cooked the veg. I would bend the rules so to speak and do proper Mac and Cheese (you can cook him some bacon to go on top if you wanted...) buttered greens and sweet potato wedges. easy, fairly quick and then you can do smores for dessert. Everyone loves smores and it can be romantic...