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01.09.2003

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i don't eat that! what to cook when you're hosting a vegetarian or carnivore by Patricia Virella | 1 2 3 4
continued from page 2

there’s a carnivore in the house! Sometimes the picky eater in question isn’t a vegetarian, but a fervent, can’t-fathom-a-meal- without-meat carnivore. I experienced a sticky situation when another girlfriend of mine invited me over for dinner. She was a vegetarian and her boyfriend was 99% vegetarian – that 1% exception extending only to include fish. On the night in question, they invited me over for a meatless dinner. As a less-than-eager vegetable eater, I was apprehensive, though I try my best to be open to many different dishes and tastes. I noticed that my girlfriend tried to cater to my taste buds by making a dish with hearty vegetables as a distraction from the lack of meat. This was not a good idea. You can’t substitute the taste of chicken with broccoli, but you can give your guests something new to chew by expanding their taste buds.

Don’t get me wrong: hearty vegetables can make a great meat substitute, but they should never be used as filler. My friend had sautéed some cabbage with garlic and then added potatoes to the mix. This would have been great minus the potatoes. When trying to make dishes for your guests, concentrate on the flavors and use vegetables that complement rather than compete with a dish. Try a veggie lasagna, veggie stir-fry or veggie manicotti – all dishes that substitute meat with plenty of yummy, filling vegetables whose flavors and textures each contribute, rather than detract from, the dish as a whole.

7 yummy vegetarian recipes Guaranteed to please vegetarians and carnivores alike:

1 penne with brie, sundried tomatoes and basil
2 tapenade farfalle
3 chickpea dal with spinach
4 vegetarian chow fun
5 moroccan chickpea eggplant stew
6 panfried vegetarian dumplings
7 pasta with roasted red pepper and tomatoes

or browse the recipe index for more ideas

ask! ask! ask!
In making any dinner for any carnivore or vegetarian, find out what vegetables they like before you start cooking up a storm. Carnivores, I’ve found, are often pickier with the vegetables they choose than the meat they eat, so ask, ask, ask. A girlfriend once made me a glorious eggplant parmesan dinner that looked and smelled great -- but that I found barely edible, thanks to my deep and long-standing loathing of eggplant. Avoid such fiascos by simply enquiring first. As an added bonus, it’ll make your invited guests feel special to know that you’re paying attention to their edible needs.

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