Christmas meal: survival guide for vegetarians
Holidays can be complicated for vegetarians. How do you make your family understand that it is impossible for you to spoil your diet? And, conversely, what to cook if you welcome a vegetarian to your table? We tell you everything!
If you are vegetarian ...
Bet on the accompaniments : in joy and good mood, everyone is rushing to the table licking their chops ... Except you, because your host did not think to prepare an alternative to the traditional foie gras and its toasts, as well as sacrosanct stuffed turkey.
Faced with this observation, the only solution available to you is to throw you on the accompaniments ... Salad, mashed potatoes, beans, apples stuffed with cranberries, etc. It does not do much to eat, you will have to take the lead next year to not suffer such a disappointment.
Bring your food : if you are not sure that your host will make the effort to concoct a special dish, take with you something to eat ... Because after all, for you too it's Christmas, you're entitled to a festive menu! False fat (terrine made with champagne and truffles), vegetable terrine, eggplant caviar, etc. You will find something to please you while not eating like the others.
Before disembarking with your provisions, warn your host all the same that you will not arrive empty-handed, so as not to offend.
Organize Christmas at home : the advantage in receiving your family is that you will have carte blanche for the menu, which you can master from A to Z.
What's more, by offering a 100% vegetarian menu, you may be able to rally some of your friends to your cause: they will see that vegetarian cooking can be just as tasty, pretty and colorful. Crème brûlée with porcini mushrooms, tofu pavé with champagne sauce, pear tartlets with goat cheese, ravioli stuffed with butternut and ricotta, ... What to put the mouth water, even to carnivores !
Prepare some replicas : by not eating the dishes you usually eat during the holidays, be prepared to face a number of questions and comments from your family.
To explain your diet, say that you prefer to refrain from eating a product whose origin you do not know, or that you do not want to encourage animal suffering. Do not get upset and get into the controversy if it happens to be: Uncle Robert, seeing that his pro-carnivorous words go over your head, will quickly change the subject.
If one of your guests is vegetarian ...
As an entrée, the alternative to foie gras and oysters : a warm goat cheese salad, a meatless queen's bite but with a double ration of mushrooms, toasts accompanied by aubergine caviar, humus, or fake fat.
In flat, the alternative to turkey : a truffle risotto ( click here to discover our great recipe ), semolina returned in onions and accompanied by chestnuts, or ravioli with porcini mushrooms.
For dessert, the alternative to the log : no alternative! The log, normally, should satisfy the whole assembly, provided it does not contain animal gelatin. To avoid odds, prepare your log yourself or ask the bakery in which you buy it.