Please could some one suggest a really tasty vegetarian dish i could make for my boyfriend when he visits me..

Question

I want to cook him something really nice & special, preferably with pasta and without mushrooms. He only eats vegetarian cheese btw!

Answer 1

A really nice dish is asparagus and goat's cheese risotto (you can buy vegetarian goat's cheese!)

Fry some onion and risotto rice in a little olive oil. Add some white wine, then keep adding veg. stock until the rice is almost cooked through. Add some chopped asparagus and cook for another 5 mins or so (add more veg. stock if needed so the rice doesn't stick or burn) Just before serving, stir through some goats cheese and some fresh lemon juice. Spoon into bowls - you could decorate with some grilled asparagus placed on the top!

Enjoy!

Answer 2

Home made Pesto is one of the nicest pasta sauces there is - it's vastly different to even the best stuff you can get out of jars, it involves lots of basil, which doesn't retain it's freshness for long once combined in the recipie, so needs to be made not more than about an hour before it's used. Normally it only takes 5 minutes - why anyone would buy pesto is beyond me.
You'll need:

Fresh Basil (lots, at least a whole small growing pot)
Hard Italian Cheese such as Parmesan, Pecorino or Gran Padano
Olive Oil - the better quality it is, the better the pesto will taste
Pine Nuts
Garlic

The quantities are difficult to guage, and a matter of personal taste, and it all depends on how much basil you add in the first place. The only ingredient you need to be careful of is garlic, as it can dominate if you overdo it. I'd recommend only one clove.

Add all ingredients to a small food processor and whiz. Keep adding and tasting until you get a good consistency and taste. You can also use a pestle and mortar, but don't add the cheese until you've ground all the other ingredients, and grate it first.

Under no circumstances must you attempt to cook the pesto, if you do you will ruin the flavour and have wasted your time. Best just to spoon it onto the pasta once you've served it.

Answer 3

Why not try a veggie chilli? I know it's not pasta but it is great. Even my meat eating sister loves it. In fact my boyfriend is making it right now. It's really easy to make, and you don't have to watch it for ages.

Fry onion, garlic, red chilli, stick of celery, carrot in oil
Add spices: cumin (1-2tbsp) allspice (1tsp) cinnamon (stick), thyme (1tbsp). You can then add veggie mince if you like it. You could also add a spoon of marmite to add flavour

Cook for 5-10mins. Then add a tin of beans (kidney beans, borlotti beans, pinto beans or black eyed beans are all really nice)

Cook for 5 mins.

Then add 2 tins chopped tomatoes.

Simmer for 35-40 mins. Taste every now and again, and add more cumin and some chilli powder if you like it spicier.

Serve with rice and taco shells (yum!) You could add cheese or guacamole, salad or salsa, anything you want really.

It's such a great recipe; it's making me hungry thinking about it!

By the way, a lot of cheeses are vegetarian, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 4

Cannelloni

Its different to the routine Lasagna and easier to make.

Filling: Ricotta Cheese, lemon zest, salt, pepper, pine nuts, chopped drained spinach. Mix together.

Pasta: Cook lasagna sheets, drain and drench in cold water to stop them cooking further.

Sauce: saute some finely chopped onions in olive oil. Add tomatoes and cook slowly until the sauce is quite thick. Add herbs and seasoning to taste. (Oregano is good, or Tarragon for a stronger taste).

Assemble: Lay out a sheet of pasta - lay the filling in a sausage shape and roll the pasts to make a tube - trim off any excess pasts. Lay the tube in a dish. You can cover this and keep it in the fridge for up to a day.

Cook: Cover the cannelloni with the tomato sauce, but don't drench it, else it will go sloppy. Some grated vegetarian cheese (you can Mix with white breadcrumbs for added crunch). Bake 200C for 30 minutes.

Serve: good quality chiabatta bread, green salad and tell him you love him.

Trust me - it's really good. Good luck !

Answer 5

Vegetable Pasta Carbonora

Answer 6

This is always a treat at my house.:
Cider & Chickpea Casserole Print this page
Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Vegan, Gluten-free

Ingredients
1 x 220g pack Cauldron Organic Beech Smoked Tofu, drained
25 g butter, or 2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, (about 300g in weight), trimmed and sliced
425 ml dry cider
410g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 tsp vegetable stock powder or 1 stock cube
1 tbsp tomato purée
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

To serve:
Freshly cooked jacket potatoes.

Method
1. Cut the tofu into 1cm cubes and reserve. Heat the butter or oil in a large pan and then add the onion. Fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Add the carrots, leeks and reserved tofu to the pan then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

3. Add the cider and chickpeas together with the bay leaf and stock, seasoning to taste. Blend the tomato purée with 1 tablespoon of water then stir into the pan. Bring to the boil, cover then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally during this cooking.

4. Stir the cornflour mixture into the pan, bring to the boil and cook gently, stirring until thickened. Stir in the chopped coriander, adjust seasoning and serve with freshly cooked jacket baked potatoes.

Answer 7

If you both like onions and cheese.
Peel three large onions, cut up into a saucepan. Add pat of butter , some black pepper and about half a pint of water. Boil until the onions are soft. Drain through a sieve. Melt a good amount of cheese over the onions. Serve with a crusty bread roll.
It may not sound particularly yummy but it tastes brilliant.

Answer 8

It depends when he is visiting you because with Halloween approaching pumpkin would make a nice alternative to pasta. You could serve Pumpkin soup followed by Pumpkin Pie, (lots of recipes for these on the net most of which are vegetarian) serve with baked potato and (vegetarian) cheese. This is a good site to find vegetarian Halloween recipes http://vegweb.com/halloween/

Whatever you decide to make, I hope that you both have a great evening :0)

Answer 9

How about roasted vegetable lasagne?

Roast a bunch of vegetables, whatever you fancy really (peppers, onions, tomatoes, courgettes, your choice!) in the oven. while its cooking make a cheese sauce with veggie cheddar. once the veggies are roasted layer up the lasagne (veggies, lasagne sheets, cheese sauce, and over again) in an oven proof dish. put the last of the cheese sauce on the top and add even more grated veggie cheddar and slam in the oven for about half an hour ish (sometimes longer depending on the size of the dish). serve with a simple salad and you have a delicious but filling meal! enjoy!

Answer 10

Kidney Beans

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinced
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp (or to taste) chilli pepper

Heat all the ingredients in a pan
Simmer for 10 mins
Serve with rice (or pasta)

Add some other veggies to make it more exciting or as is. Or make some roasted sweet potato by boiling them for 5 mins then roast in the oven for 30-60mins (depending on size of the chunks). Then you can serve it with the beans and garlic bread. mmm..garlic bread!