MEATING OF THE MINDS
Vegetarian Meals Even Carnivores Can Enjoy
Mary Clifford, R.D.
You're hosting a formal family dinner, but your spouse's relatives are the original founders of Billy Boy's Pig Heaven Pork Pit Restaurant. Your boss wants to invite a few clients to your house to close an important deal, and cautions you not to even think about serving bean sprouts. Or you've finally gotten a date with your gorgeous new downstairs neighbor, who loves home cooking.
What's a vegetarian to do? (Pretend, just for a moment, that leaving the country is out of the question.)
Above all, don't panic. With a little advance planning, even inexperienced cooks can pull off a lovely evening that both omnivores and herbivores will enjoy.
First, consider the atmosphere. Even if you don't ordinarily set the table for dinner, be sure to do so for any special occasion. A tablecloth, cloth napkins, and a centerpiece go a long way towards elevating any food to "elegant" status. Don't worry if you don't have matching gold-plated dinnerware handed down from the Queen Mother. The idea is to show that you've put some thought and care into the meal, so if mismatched thrift-shop dishes are what you've got, use them proudly. Fresh flowers, fruit baskets, and candles are simple, yet classic, centerpieces.
Second, keep color in mind when planning your menu. Maybe baked potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and tempeh with gravy is your favorite meal, but a plate full of brown food is simply not going to win any points in the creativity department.
Likewise for texture: A meal of mashed potatoes, scrambled tofu, and applesauce has all the appeal of a root canal. A variety of textures and colors will excite the taste buds and keep even the most skeptical meat-eater from complaining too much.
Third, you may want to avoid any "way-out" foods if this is your guests' first foray into vegetarian fare. Hold the Sea Vegetable Stew and Agar-Agar Pudding until the third or fourth gathering, when your guests have become more comfortable with meatless meals.
Finally, don't forget dessert. There are enough wonderful desserts on the market, even for vegans, that special recipes aren't included here. For a simple dessert, offer a selection of cookies and an assortment of herbal teas. A fresh fruit platter, frozen desserts, or cake are other easy ideas.
The following recipes really are easy (don't let lengthy ingredient lists scare you; lots of spices make the recipes longer, but also add plenty of familiar flavor), and many of the dishes can be made ahead of time. As a bonus, you won't need any special equipment (not even a food processor); so novice entertainers should be able to handle these dishes with ease.
MENU
APPETIZERS
Black and Gold Salad
Antipasto Platter
ENTREES
Multi-Grain Croquettes with Sage-Onion Gravy
Rosemary-Scented Polenta
SIDE DISHES
Puffed Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts
Ginger-Roasted Vegetables
BLACK AND GOLD SALAD
(Serves 4)
For more intense color, contrast the black and gold by serving it on red leaf or radicchio lettuce.
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Radicchio or red leaf lettuce (garnish)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except lettuce. Let sit several hours or overnight.
To serve, let salad come to room temperature. Arrange in lettuce cups or on beds of shredded lettuce.
Total calories per serving: 192
Fat: 8 grams
ANTIPASTO PLATTER
(Serves 4)
Serve this pungent, marinated platter in place of the usual crudite. Any vegetables will do here — cauliflower, broccoli, sweet pepper strips, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini are some examples. Olives will also add a pretty shape and color.
3/4 pound raw or blanched vegetables
3 Tablespoons cider, red wine, or balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss vegetables with marinade ingredients. Let sit at least 3 hours or overnight. To serve, drain and arrange on platter. May be served chilled or at room temperature.
Note: Whenever marinating vegetables, do not add broccoli until just before serving or it will discolor and turn an unsightly olive green.
Total calories per serving: 57
Fat: 4 grams
MULTI-GRAIN CROQUETTES
(Serves 4)
These savory croquettes can easily be made ahead of time and reheated before serving, but be sure to form them into thick patties so that they remain moist and aromatic when reheated.
1 Tablespoon oil
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 cups well-cooked brown rice
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, raw
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 cup firm tofu, crumbled
In a large, non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery until vegetables are well browned.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat until broth is absorbed but mixture is still moist. Remove to large mixing bowl and let cool. Do not wash skillet.
With potato masher or clean hands, add tofu to cooled grain mixture. Mash until well combined. Form into 8 patties.
Coat skillet with vegetable cooking spray, or brush lightly with pastry brush dipped in oil to help prevent sticking. Fry croquettes, turning once, until lightly browned. Repeat until all are fried, adding additional coats of oil or spray to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.
Note: These may also be baked, but will not get as crispy or brown outside. To bake, place on greased pan in 400 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
Total calories per serving: 248
Fat: 7 grams
SAGE-ONION GRAVY
(Serves 4)
A healthy dose of caramelized onions adds a great deal of substance to this condiment, making it a cross between a relish and a gravy. It's best made just before serving, although you can sauté the onions the day before and start from step two when you're ready to serve.
2 teaspoons oil
1/2 pound onions, sliced thinly into rings
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon sage
1-1/3 cups chilled vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
3 Tablespoons flour
In a large, non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, bay leaf, and sage. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until very well browned.
In a cup or small bowl, whisk together broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and flour. Be sure broth is cooled to prevent flour from lumping.
Stir broth mixture into onions and heat to boiling, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove bay leaf and serve immediately.
Total calories per serving: 53
Fat: 3 grams
ROSEMARY-SCENTED POLENTA
(Serves 4)
Fried cornmeal mush hardly sounds appetizing, but that's exactly what trendy restaurants are serving when you see "polenta" on the menu. This simple, colorful, dish is filling and flavorful, making it one of the best "company" dishes there is. Be sure to serve it with a fragrant tomato sauce and plenty of garlic bread.
3 cups water
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 teaspoon margarine, melted
Homemade or prepared tomato sauce
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, combine water, broth, and spices. Heat to boiling. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in olives and red pepper.
Pour mixture into greased baking pan. Let cool several hours or overnight.
Cut cooled polenta into 8 pieces. Brush with half of melted margarine. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, turning once and brushing with remaining margarine, until golden. Serve with tomato sauce.
Total calories per serving (without sauce): 309
Fat: 7 grams
PUFFED SWEET POTATOES
(Serves 4)
Scrumptious sweet potatoes are mashed and baked until they form a golden crust outside, while staying smooth and creamy inside. Maybe you should make extras.
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup soy milk (you can use low-fat soy milk)
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, cover sweet potatoes with water. Heat to boiling over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until sweet potatoes are very tender. Drain well.
With potato masher or wooden spoon, combine remaining ingredients with sweet potatoes. Mash until smooth and well mixed.
Grease a 1-quart baking dish. Place potatoes in baking dish and bake in oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Serve immediately.
Total calories per serving: 235
Fat: 12 grams
GREEN BEANS WITH TOASTED WALNUTS
(Serves 4)
A very easy way to make plain old green beans special.
1 teaspoon margarine
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched
Pinch of marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste
In large, non-stick skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes or until walnuts are lightly browned.
Add green beans and spices to mixture in skillet. Stir until well coated. Serve immediately.
Total calories per serving: 85
Fat: 6 grams
GINGER-ROASTED VEGETABLES
(Serves 4)
The vegetables used here are merely a suggestion.Use your favorites, but keep in mind that heartier vegetables, such as eggplant, carrots, or winter squash, will hold up better under intense heat. Tomatoes will get mushy, but add lovely color and flavor. Mushrooms will shrivel and look perfectly awful, but add a marvelous, rich flavor, especially if you use an exotic species like shiitake or cremini. Whatever you use, cut the pieces rather large so they hold their shape and won't overcook.
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
Dash hot red pepper sauce
1/2 pound eggplant, cut into slices or chunks
1 medium onion, quartered
1 medium tomato, quartered
1/4 pound mushrooms
1 large carrot, cut into thick diagonal slices
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together maple syrup, sesame oil, root, and red pepper sauce.
Toss vegetables with ginger mixture, making sure to coat evenly. Arrange ginger vegetables on greased baking pan, pouring any remaining marinade over vegetables.
Bake vegetables in oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and tender. You may wish to briefly sear them under the broiler to intensify their color. Serve immediately.
Total calories per serving: 65
Fat: 2 grams
Mary Clifford is a Registered Dietitian in Roanoke, Virginia. She is a nutrition advisor for The Vegetarian Resource Group.
