OH does a really tasty Shepherds pie with TVP mince. The secret is the gravy.

Learn to source/cook/roast veg better/to higher standards and with more variety?

I’d echo this – theres not really anything missing from a roast dinner if you don’t eat meat if you do a good roast dinner – the ‘trimmings’ are perfectly capable of being the best bit.  I’m not a vegetarian but I dont think theres been a time in my adult life where if I’m cooking then someone eating with me will be a vegetarian – so I cook a plate of good food and sometimes theres also some meat to have with it – but the meat’s a side-dish really, the veg is where I concentrate my effort because thats what everyone is eating. I just put thought and effort into everything thats going to be on someones plate. Meat just cooks itself really, its easy. Veg rewards a bit of thought and effort

the veg is where I concentrate my effort

Veg rewards a bit of thought and effort

Whilst I don’t disagree with the second certainly, I’m asking for pointers on the first.

I’m guessing you’re not just serving up roast potatoes, stuffing, cabbage and carrots to the veggies and that’s my point. So what would you actually suggest I try cook beyond “better”?

Whilst I don’t disagree with the second certainly, I’m asking for pointers on the first.

That sort of comes back to this post, one of the first (if not the first) replies:

I probably don’t need to point out that the easier route is try to stop thinking a dinner needs a focus.

It’s all very well saying you don’t need a “focus” (and I’m pretty sure on my Ottolenghi cookbooks suggest something similar), but it’s often a huge faff midweek when “the veg is where I concentrate my effort” actually means a fair amount of chopping and roasting and frying etc etc. It’s lovely cooking and setting out a whole load of tapas/mezze at the weekend when you’ve got the time to do it, but midweek? Sod that. You can get a pork chop and some peas on the table in under 15 minutes.

So I’m fully with the OP on his (her?) quest for veggie mains. I’ve mentioned stuffed aubergines, other easy to prepare mains I’ve cooked (and enjoyed!) are pies using shop-bought pastry (potato+leek+cheddar is a good one; chickpeas+potatoes+korma sauce wrapped in filo is another, both starting with fried onion+garlic), lots of curries using chickpeas or lentils, and vegetarian chillis or shepherds pies. The latter two are particularly good as you can cook up the base the day before, including using a slow cooker, then just have to finish them off on the day itself.

The gravy is one of the best gravies you can make full stop, the vegan-ness of it shouldn’t be any reason not to make it

Another ‘gravy-off’ contender, must trial it against the Gaz Oakley/Avant Garde Vegan one I linked. Had some tonight (left over from xmas day) on some bangers and chestnut loaf omigeeeeeeee

I’ve mentioned stuffed aubergines, other easy to prepare mains I’ve cooked (and enjoyed!) are pies using shop-bought pastry (potato+leek+cheddar is a good one; chickpeas+potatoes+korma sauce wrapped in filo is another, both starting with fried onion+garlic), lots of curries using chickpeas or lentils, and vegetarian chillis or shepherds pies.

Yep, we went down that route. All too ‘wet’ apparently 😉

If stuffed veg are a goer then there’s endless options to stuff a pepper, aubergine as mentioned, or marrow or whatever. Rice and fresh mint go well in these, maybe some crushed walnuts, lentils etc. Think I put a stuffed pepper recipe in the other ‘vegetarian dishes for a meat eater thread. It’s good, but no doubt there’re loads better online. I’m not a big fan of roast peppers tbh (just the taste of the pepper), prefer a Portobello steak, a really good nut loaf, a good pie, or even Nigel Slater’s toms and pan-friend almonds.

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/try-vegan-cookbooks-books

Fried pineapple (chat masala and chilli spices)

You can get a pork chop and some peas on the table in under 15 minutes.

Same goes for

Veggie escalopes and peas

Oyster mushroom-steak and pasta

13 minute lentil pattie and peas

Cauldron veggie sausages and peas

Etc etc

tomato ketchup? Good lord no, I’m not 6.

In that case I’m going to ask this with some trepidation….

How do you feel about cheese singles on a fish finger butty?

I know that neither cheese or fish fingers are technically vegetables but they’re not stead either so… you know…

Ooop. missing oyster-mushroom recipe and video link

and the pasta

How do you feel about cheese singles on a fish finger butty?

What people do in the privacy of their own home is their choice, so long as they’re not hurting anyone else.

Clearly the best option is to feed the vegetables to an animal, then eat the animal. Far better.

It amazes me that no-one has ever done that joke before. You must be so proud.

Last night I had to clean up the NYD leftovers. So defrosted a few things and cooked/reheated them.

Thin pork steaks in garlic and herbs (pan-fried)*
The remainders of the Waitrose jewelled roast (vegan) reheated
A couple of Beyond Sausages (vegan) (pan-fried)
The homemade gravy (reheated)

All went well with cheesy baked spud and greens (broccoli and french beans).

Three souls for dinner and agreement was reached:

The pork steak lacked flavour (no discernible taste) and was dry even with the garlic butter. Disappointed two meat-eaters.

The Beyond sausage had the best texture and tasted good/moreish.

The jewelled nut roast thing was v tasty but I didn’t cook it for long enough and was a little too squidgy and reheating took the ‘crunch’ from the crust.

The special gravy, creamed jacket spuds and steamed greens made the meal.

If I had to choose best of the three ‘protein’ options served then it would be the pan-fried Beyond sausage. Enjoyed as it was with a dab of Dijon mustard. I like the idea of chopping these up in a lentil casserole, or the making of a hot dog on some french stick with lots of fried onions. And ketchup!

Found half a pineapple in the fridge and was intrigued by the fried pineapple recipe so gave it a go. With a few alterations*

Flipping delicious. Unusually so. Would probably never have thought of this, STW wins again. Will be eating this another time with a hearty Indian pilau dish, ie incl crispy onion, toasted cashews etc. A portion of this on the side.

*Didn’t have chaat masala so used tandoori masala. Didn’t have lemon juice so used orange juice. Didn’t have butter so used Pure Buttery. No bamboo skewers so had to flip often with spatula. Added some garlic powder and black salt as the spice powder was quite old and lacking something.

Well chuffed. It even looks delicious. Could possibly be even better cooked a little longer at a higher heat but that’s me being really picky.

*Didn’t have chaat masala so used tandoori masala. Didn’t have lemon juice so used orange juice. Didn’t have butter so used Pure Buttery. No bamboo skewers so had to flip often with spatula. Added some garlic powder and black salt as the spice powder was quite old and lacking something.

lol that sounds like recipe feedback on the BBC Good Food site, like a comment on a recipe for boiled peas: “Didn’t have any peas, used cabbage instead. Delicious, 100% will cook again” 😀

Same goes for

…

Etc etc

I think we’re in violent agreement here – I was pointing out some people seemed to be ignoring the importance of the recipes being quick to prepare.

Didn’t have any peas, used cabbage instead.

lol I know what you’re saying, but be to be fair it called for ‘fresh pineapple slices fried in masala, citrus juice, red Kashmiri chilli, salt, pepper and sugar.’

I used fresh pineapple slices, and fried them in masala, citrus juice, red Kashmiri chilli, salt, pepper and sugar*

It’s not as if I used tinned apricots and boiled them in Colemans Chilli Con Carne mix…

Wait!!… 💡

*Tough crowd!

+1 for the general consensus that cooking veg better is the solution.

Honey roast carrots

Braised red cabbage

Roast potatoes (obviously)

Curried roast cauliflower

Roast parsnips

Roast onion.

6 different veg and not a boiled sprout in sight. Add a Yorkshire pud and gravy and you’re sorted.

Sod that. You can get a pork chop and some peas on the table in under 15 minutes.

I mean, if a chewy bit of pork is the centerpiece I’ll take the peas.

Clearly the best option is to feed the vegetables to an animal, then eat the animal. Far better.

It amazes me that no-one has ever done that joke before. You must be so proud.

I though mine would be better but also thought best not to, you know how touchy some folk get when the ‘M’ word is introduced to these threads 😉

But now Stu has opened it up, what the hell eh..

” Things to do with veg….”

….Throw it in the dustbin 😆

Plenty of decent veg pies you could do op. We do a squash, lentil and feta which is ace. We’ve been using Gill Meller’s root stem leaf flower cook book. Lots of good seasonal vegetarian recipes.

So many good recipes out there that avoid the faux processed meat replacements.