Looking for inspiration

Sporticus

Afternoon everyone!

I'm trying to plan out what shopping I need for the month which means that I have to plan my Christmas Day meals. This is where I need inspiration and help though.

Christmas Day will be here for
me (won't eat peanuts - I'm not allergic to them I just hate them!),
dh (who is veggie-but won't eat courgettes),
dd (who prefers not to eat meat but won't eat peppers, nuts, lentils or anything spicy)
ds (who will eat meat if ever he gets the chance but won't eat cooked mushrooms, peppers, leeks, lentils or anything spicy)
MIL & FIL (who are both veggies but won't eat anything spicy).
the dog (who will eat whatever he can 'cos he's a thieving big devil:D

I would love to cook something that will fit everyone this year but I can't seem to find anything. I'm going thru my cookbooks to see if there's anything I've missed - can't remember what I did last year. I've been to the vegetarian section of the mega index on here and can only find things that won't go down well with one party or another. Aaarrrghhhh

TIA

Pink.

Hi sporticus,

These threads might give you some ideas:

VEGETARIAN main course Christmas meal

Share your vegan Christmas Dinner ideas.

And also this thread from the Special Occasions board:

Vegetarian Christmas

Pink

juliapenguin

Cheese and onion quiche with tinsel on top!

I don't know how you cope! I suffer enough cooking for my fussy vegetarian won't eat anything spicy stepdaughter once a week...

hardpressed

You haven't mention fish, how about salmon en crout?

kittyscarlett

Er - proper vegetarians do not eat fish ! that would be a pescatarian...

Sporticus - looks like you will probably have to do a couple of main courses... how about a veggie Wellington ? you could use some kind of veggie mince as the base, lots of onions and finely chopped " acceptable " veg ( you could maybe even sneak in some chopped mushrooms and hope your son doesnt notice ) and whatever sauce you fancy, all wrapped up in puff pastry.

nanokitten

we had a big veggy cottage pie last year with all the trimmings

JoolzS

I'd just ask them to bring their own food with instructions on how to cook it!

Asking any one person to deal with such ridiculous food restrictions is just beyond belief.

Serve up good, vegetarian food and let them take what they want. If they go home hungry then it's their problem.

My DH just came up with a brilliant idea - beans on toast for everyone !

Julie

pigpen

I'd do a piece of pork/turkey/meat for those who wish to eat meat. I cook mine in a roasting bag with an onion in the birds cavity and a chopped leek. The juices go in the gravy.. even when hubby was veggie he got meaty gravy.. if he didn't like it he would make his own!.. I know I'm mean! He never did complain though.

I'd do a variety of veggies chucked in separate bowls on a help yourself basis.. sprouts, cauliflower cheese, peas, green beans, carrots, roast potatoes, new potatoes. Yorkshire puds nad a gallon of gravy!

For the veggies I'd concoct a nut loaf, fish dish if they'll eat that.. The new Nigella book had a few ideas which looked scrummy!

The dog can have the left overs!

julieq

Well let's go with the baked beans idea.

Cassoulet. It's a french bean stew, crusty on the top, hearty and utterly delicious. Rich enough to be special for Christmas, and for those who want some meat, why not roasted duck breasts with 5 spice crisy coating on the side, for the others how about baby brussels sprouts braised in a little red wine until melting and deliciously light? You won't need potatoes with cassoulet, just a few seasonable vegetables. The other nice bit is that you can prepare up front and cook through Christmas morning, it's a dead easy option.

PS: just been told to devise a remoska based cassoulet by dribbling OH, watch this space.

Sporticus

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions - haven't been around for a while been busy.

Thanks nanokitten for this - I like the idea of combining this with the veggie wellington so maybe using the pie filling as the wellie filling. Think I'll do a dry run before the big day though.

we had a big veggy cottage pie last year with all the trimmings

If it doesn't work out then I'm going to revert to plan B which is a veggie roast for the adults and veggie sausages for the kids. We can all then have the same roasties and veg etc.

At least I've got the Christmas pud made!:j