Vegetarian Gravy

[5foot5]

Hope you don't mind a meat-eater asking for advice.

At the weekend I have a few people coming around for a pre-Christmas get-together and I am cooking a meal. One of the guests is vegetarian (not vegan). Now please don't think I am a clueless meat-eater who can't conceive of a meal without meat. We quite often eat veggie things and if it was just one person who was visiting and was veggie I would cook a veggie meal for all of us to eat. However, in this instance I think most of the guests are expecting a "proper" Sunday dinner of roast meat and vegetables and if I did that for everyone else and something completely different for the vegetarian guest I thought it would look a bit odd. So I have decided to cook a joint of meat, lots of vegetables and roast potatoes (roasted in olive oil of course not goose fat!) but provide a meat alternative for the veggie guest so he is eating mostly the same as the rest of us. I have been assured that he likes Quorn so I bought some Quorn peppered steaks.

Anyway, for everyone else there will be a jug of gravy made from meat juices. But what should I serve to veggie guest? I am worried the meal will be a bit dry without anything but I don't know what a vegetarian equivalent of gravy is. Does anybody have any suggestions please?

Most instant gravy granules like bisto, oxo are vegetarian, even those labelled beef, chicken etc

Original Bisto is vegetarian, and if you make it up from the water used to cook some flavourful veg it jazzes it up a bit.

Bisto gravy powder (in the box) is fine for veggies and meat eaters alike

The chicken/turkey ones are NOT vegetarian. Original definitely is.

You can also buy vegetarian gravy granules, look for the green pots.

I never thought of the granules being veggie - how silly of me! Thankyou I will have some available and then I can check with him before making it up that he likes it.

Yes to most of the bisto varieties being fine, but if you want to make grave then jamie Oliver has a vegan gravy recipe which is really tasty- I will be serving it to veggies and carnivores at Christmas...

Make your own gravy and don’t put in the meat juice. Add a veg oxo instead.

Can I just ask a supplementary?

I have never done my roast potatoes in olive oil before. Does it work well? Any gotchas?

Markses sell jars of veggie gravy.

Plain olive oil for roasties rather than EVOO as that burns - or cold pressed rapeseed oil works nicely as it's tasty and has a higher smoke point than EVOO.

Bisto best onion gravy is my favourite - so much nicer than the ordinary granules.

I mix (prob about 2tbsp each of) vegetable bisto granules and about 2tbsp of the red box bisto granules together, add half teaspoon of bisto onion powder pour in boiling water to desired thickness and then add a glug of red wine. Make in saucepan and reheat when needed. The amounts make enough for 2 of us so double up as necessary.

Roost potatoes are fine in any fat as long as it's hot enough when you tip them in I think...