Question:
Good recipes or menu for dinner with vegetarian married to carnivore?
BottledGenie
2009-03-19 12:12:37 UTC
I would like to have two friends (a married couple) over for dinner. She is a vegetarian who does eat dairy cheese, honey and yogurt, but no butter, milk or eggs. She uses Silk instead of milk. Her husband is a complete "meat-atarian" and will eat anything including steak and seafood. I am not vegetarian, and it seems that absolutely everything I cook has meat or broth or eggs or milk in it. I would prefer not to make life difficult by cooking two separate entrees and cluttering up the kitchen with 59 pots and pans for only one meal with two guests. And I absolutely despise the taste of tofu, fake cheese and veggie burgers like Morningstar Farms. Personally, I'd rather eat sawdust... I'm an experienced cook, but this dilemma has me stymied. Any suggestions for good hearty flavourful casseroles or stews or side dishes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Thirteen answers:
danu
2009-03-19 12:41:59 UTC
Ok my suggestion is this( i have this issue alot, my sister and her fiance are this exact couple lol)



Do an entree salad. then for the meat eaters top with either sliced grilled steak and shrimp, and for her grill tofu, buy the extra firm, cubed and shake on some of the same seasoning you use on the other meats..you could also do salmon or a good tuna for the meat eaters.... also serve a good soup and some crusty bread, dessert can be berries with yogurt and honey.:

Salad ideas(as your base):

Caesar Salad

Yield 6 servings

Time 5 minutes

Tools large bowl

two wooden spoons

6 plates



Ingredients 8 c romaine lettuce, torn

about ½ c Caesar dressing

2 c croutons

¼ c Parmesan cheese, freshly grated or thinly sliced



Directions Toss romaine with dressing, adding more as needed until the leaves are coated, then toss again with croutons.

Arrange on plates, top with Parmesan, and serve

----

Summer Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 (4-ounce) log goat cheese, cut in 1" thick rounds

1/4 cup canola oil

4 cups mixed greens

Very thinly sliced radishes

Grilled or roasted red pepper strips



Method

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.



In a shallow bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water and set aside. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs with parsley, salt and pepper. Carefully dip each goat cheese round in egg, letting any excess run off. Then dip into bread crumbs and coat very well. Chill coated goat cheese slices until firm (at least 1 hour).



Heat canola oil in a large skillet. Add cheese rounds and fry, turning until both sides are golden. Arrange greens, radishes and red peppers on individual plates or serving platter. Place the cheese rounds on top and drizzle with reserved vinaigrette

---------

Mango and Avocado Salad with Black Beans and Lime Vinaigrette

Serves 4

2 firm-ripe avocados, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 tablespoons lime juice, divided

1 firm-ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, more for garnish

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed





Method

Gently toss avocado with a tablespoon of lime juice in a medium bowl; add mango, jalapeño and salt and toss to combine.



To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining lime juice, zest, sugar and cilantro in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the black beans with the vinaigrette.



To assemble the salad, spoon the black bean mixture onto the middle of a small platter. Arrange the chopped mango and avocado around the black beans. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately

----

Arugula Salad with Ginger-Thyme Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Dressing

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

1/4 teaspoon finley chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon tamari



Salad

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sherry cooking wine

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, cleaned and trimmed

1 bunch arugula (1/2 pound), cleaned and trimmed

1/2 pound yellow squash, seeded, thinly sliced

1/2 pound red bell pepper, julienned



Method

For the dressing, place olive oil, vinegar, ginger, thyme, garlic and tamari in a blender. Purée for 1 minute, until well combined, and set aside. For the salad, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes. Add sherry to pan and stir, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until all liquid has evaporated.



While mushrooms are cooking, steam peas for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly tender but still bright green. Plunge peas into ice water to stop cooking, then drain them thoroughly.



To assemble the salad, place arugula, squash, bell pepper and peas in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Divide salad among 4 plates. Top with cooked mushrooms and serve immediately.



======

Soups:(these are vegetarian and yummy)

Roasted Corn Soup



A great way to enjoy corn - this roasted corn soup is rich and spicy.



Yield 4-6 servings

Time 1½ hours

Tools baking sheet

large sauce pan or Dutch oven

knife

blender or food processor

frying pan

sauce pan



Ingredients 6 ears corn

3½ c vegetable stock

½ c water

4 scallions

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

1 poblano or two jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

4 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

1½ t salt

black pepper

2 medium shallots, minced

½ pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced



Directions Preheat oven to 375. Put four ears of corn on baking sheet and roast until parched and brown, 1-1¼ hours.

Meanwhile, shuck the other two ears, simmer in stock for 15 minutes, let cool (don't discard stock!), cut off the kernals, purée them with water, and set aside.



Thinly slice two of the scallions. Heat 2 T oil in frying pan and sauté the peppers and sliced scallions, stirring occasionally, until peppers are soft, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and continue cooking 5-10 minutes, until tomatoes break down and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside. This is a garnish for the soup known as sofrito.



When roasted corn is ready, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes, then shuck and cut off kernals.



Heat 2 T oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Cut the remaining 2 scallions into ½-in pieces and sauté with shallots, stirring frequently, until shallots begin to color, 3-4 minutes. Add corn kernals and corn purée, vegetable stock, and potatoes. Turn heat up to high. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, add salt, partially cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in sofrito and serve



--

Hearty Greens Soup with Bowtie Pasta and Tomatoes

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

8 cups water

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound), roughly chopped

1/2 bunch escarole (about 1/2 pound), stemmed and roughly chopped

1/2 pound dried bowtie (farfalle) pasta

1 (3-inch) Parmiggiano Reggiano rind, plus grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish

1/4 pound baby spinach





Method

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is released and absorbed, about 5 minutes more. Add carrots and water and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.



Stir in Swiss chard, escarole, pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano rind, reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is flavorful and greens and pasta are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.



Remove and discard bay leaf and rind from soup then ladle into bowls, garnish with grated cheese and serve

---

Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup with Cheese Crisps

Serves 6 to 8

Soup

1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 pound parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound Braeburn apples, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, more to taste

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, more to taste



Cheese Crisps

1/2 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, about 2 cups

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper



Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine carrots, parsnips, apples, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until soft and browned. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in ginger and cook for 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend until smooth, using a regular blender or an immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



Meanwhile, make the cheese crisps. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Combine cheese, flour, chives, parsley and pepper in a small bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon cheese mixture onto parchment in 3-inch long ovals. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until crunchy and golden around edges. Remove and allow to cool completely. Crisps can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.



Serve hot soup with crisps
Moxie
2009-03-19 15:32:02 UTC
If you hate tofu, you haven't had it made right. Tofu has hardly any taste - it's all in how you season and marinate it.



Anyway, try http://www.vegetariantimes.com for loads of recipes.



The stocks are easy to fix - use a vegetarian one. No big deal!



I'd probably make a marinara from scratch, add fresh veggies, and serve it over a nice fresh pasta. Start with a wonderful gourmet cheese plate with figs & quince and finish with fresh berries in a port wine reduction. Serve heavy or clotted cream on the side for those who will eat it.



There is no need to make separate meals. I cook formal dinners for friends all time, most of whom are meat eaters, and the meat is never missed.
wiccagirl24
2009-03-19 15:21:00 UTC
What about something ethnic? Indian food is very easy to make vegetarian, and most meat eaters won't even miss the meat. Middle eastern is another style that can be made great vegetarian. Or Japanese - my friends are always asking me to make tempura, and you could even do meat tumpura if you do all the veggies first.
Neilko
2009-03-19 13:13:10 UTC
Don't feel bad if you get a good vegetarian recipe and decide to cook it for both of them. The husband is probably used to it and it shouldn't be a big deal.
sarah
2009-03-19 12:46:49 UTC
I have the most delicious mexican lasagna recipe EVER. All of my meat-eating friends and family love it!



9 lasagna noodles

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup (4oz can) green chiles

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16oz) can refried black beans

2 cups canned tomato sauce

1 1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup black olives

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Coat a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Saute onion, corn, and garlic until tender. Stir in black beans, refried beans, tomato sauce, salsa, cilantro, green chiles, black olives, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook until heated through and slightly thickened; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese; set aside.

Coat a 9x13 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange 3 of the cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of the dish, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread with 1/3 of the bean mixture, then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice more.

Cover, and bake in preheated over for 45 minutes.







* I created this recipe myself based on other mexican lasagna reciped that I thought were a little bland. You can tweak the amount of spice you want by adding different amounts of chili powder and crushed red pepper, and by getting mild, medium, or hot salsa. Taste the bean mixture as you are cooking it to see what flavors you think it needs. I also prefer to use A LOT of cilantro and a lot of garlic. I even like to just eat the bean mixture as a really thick soup, its that good! And just be warned, the lasagna will not look perfect. It's kind of messy, and make sure it has cooled for a while before you serve it so it's not too runny. You can put it back in the oven if it's not warm enough. SO DELICIOUS!
jenna
2009-03-19 12:28:12 UTC
does she eat dough/bread made with eggs? Because you could make a homemade pizza, and on one half just put things she likes, mushrooms, peppers, etc and on the other half put pepperoni/sausage for you and the husband.

Maybe eggplant parm instead of chicken parm? or a veggie lasagna?

Mixed salad w/cucumbers,tomatoes, olives, walnuts, maybe cheese so it will be filling enough for her and not just a plate of lettuce, grill some steak tips to put just on yours and the husbands. Maybe some roasted potatoes on the side or meatless chili.

I'm a meat-atarian so it's quite difficult for me to imagine any meal without meat haha
2009-03-19 12:29:09 UTC
Veggie stuffed shells or veggie lasagna. Maybe even a meatless chili or stuffed mushrooms, stuffed with cheese breadcrumbs and your fave veg, i like diced zuccini. You can find lots of recipes online.



You won't have to make meat for him, he will understand. I never cook meat for my meat eating friends and they love everything I cook.
SST
2009-03-19 12:23:54 UTC
Maybe a nice pasta dish, with a sauce... cook some grilled or breaded chicken but keep it seperate.. make the same plates... place chicken on the ones that eat meat and keep it off the ones that don't. Why make it so difficult for yourself. everybody's happy.



Maybe something like this... sub. the butter for margarine, make with eggless noodles. add chicken when plating.



http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/No-Cream-Pasta-Primavera/Detail.aspx
praise seitan
2009-03-19 12:16:03 UTC
grilled seitan.



marinate it 2 hours or more ahead of time with your favorite sauce. grill on high or medium high for 4 minutes, flip over and put more sauce on top of it. grill 4 more minutes.



or make a vegetarian soup like black bean.



YOU HAVE TO COOK THE TOFU. otherwise its tastes terrible.
2009-03-19 13:14:16 UTC
i don't see why this is so hard. Make a pasta dish and serve the meat ball on the side.
2009-03-19 12:16:11 UTC
Grilled Manatee

2 lbs manatee steaks

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. garlic salt

1 Tsp. butter for each steak



Season steaks with onion and garlic. Place in an aluminum pan ( or wrap and seal in aluminum foil ) on grill. Dot each steak with butter. Turn over half way through cooking. Cook over medium grill for 15 to 20 mins
lynn
2009-03-19 12:20:42 UTC
Oh my, I would hate to be in this situation.



How about this all in one pan:

Salmon seasoned with salt, lemon Adobo & dill.

Fingerling potatoes

Fresh green beans



Cook all in one pan with a little olive oil. Cook the potatoes first as they take longer, then add the green beans and potatoes.



I love this dish.
ShaMRocK
2009-03-19 12:17:19 UTC
Steak and taters' with salad?


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