Help with vegetarian slow-cooking please . . .

[harveythehorse]

I have recently stopped eating meat and whilst I have a list of go-to meat based slow cooking recipes up my sleeve, am a at a loss for a vegetarian alternative. We are hosting 12 this Christmas and I would like to do a delicious, comforting, special meal for our guests . . . and would like it to be a vegetarian dish. This is for Christmas Eve and people will be arriving at different times so it needs to be something that will be happy left in the oven. So far my limited repertoire has thought of a tagine, whilst discounting lasagnes and chillis so I would be enormously grateful if anyone could please add some tasty suggestions (I only have one vegetarian cook book so far and it focuses on quicker recipes so not very helpful here!)

Mushroom stroganoff served with pasta or mash
Risotto

Thanks for these - I hadn't considered it possible to slow cook either before so will do more research.

You could do this in the slow cooker

Check out this Ocado recipe: Warming minestrone stew www.ocado.com/recipe?recipeId=192828

That didn't work! Hang on I'll try again...

www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/Warming-minestrone-stew/192828?selectedCategories

Have you considered making sauerkraut?

If you start a batch now it will be just ready for Christmas and is the ultimate slow-food ingredient ideal for slow-cooking.

@Kaiken posted perfect instructions in this thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/4149897-Sauerkraut-tips-please

I generally use 1.5% - 2% of salt to sliced cabbage.

I also let the cabbage tossed in salt sit for about 20 minutes before squeezing it and making it “cry” this lets time and osmosis do much of the work for me. I also add a teaspoon or so of grated/crushed ginger - I find the resulting sauerkraut tastes more “elegant” somehow and not necessarily gingery.

In two weeks from now, so long as you can keep the salt massaged cabbage pressed under its own brine, you should have a fantastic ingredient which will add umami and depth to anything you cook with it. And great just as it is too, so much better than that jarred stuff from the supermarkets.

Thank you so much, the stew looks delicious and I certainly hadn't considered sauerkraut.

I honestly think slow cooking is best for meat as most veggie dishes just don't benefit from 6/ 8 hours cooking.
I have several vegetarians for Christmas and plan to do this which can be eaten hot or warm. Savoury spiced Baklava

www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegetarian/savoury-spiced-baklava/

@GreenAndSpringy that was a while ago!

Another recipe for all to enjoy

This dish is so successful , my non vegan friends always ask for it. Pictures attached. I have share this recipe soooo many times

Crunchy tofu fingers

1 bloc of firm tofu
2 table spoons olive oil
6 table spoons soy sauce or tamari

1 cup almond
1 table spoon mixed herbs
1 heaped table spoonsmoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven at 180 fan forced

Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper.
Cut tofu in 1 cm slices and then in half to give the shape of fingers, and put them to marinate in a mix olive oil and soy sauce to the ratio of 1:3. For a typical size bloc, it will be two tbls olive oil for 6 soy sauce. If you have it in the house, a teaspoon of liquid smoke gives a nice touch.
Leave aside while you prepare coating or longer.

Put almonds, herbs, paprika in blender at max speed until all crushed. Add salt and pepper to taste

Put baking paper on an oven tray.

Put two tbls of the mix in a plate and press one tofu finger on all sides and put on the baking tray. Repeat until finished.
Do not put all the coating at once in a plate, because it turns wet and moist and won’t adhere to tofu, add it each time you put a new finger

Put tray in the oven for 20-30 minute.
What is left of coating is nice on salads.

I find them nice with some sweet chili sauce.

I think this nut roast recipe looks delicious. I’m going to try to cook it myself.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/nut-loaf