Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

Thank you so much for this! Tapenade is something I've often seen, but never actually tried (either eating out or buying in) which is daft because I love olives.

To have a recipe is perfect - I grow my own garlic and parsley and have all the ingredients you've listed (except possibly the capers but I can get those easily enough) so I'm going to have a go at this in the next day or so.

Will report back and let you know how I get on.

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

Several years ago, I went out to a little pub in Sussex where I live and had the most delectable vegetarian meal, which was listed on the menu as 'Aubergine Crumble'. It was slices of aubergine, tomato, onion (I think) and various herbs (garlic, oregano I would imagine, maybe some basil) baked in a dish with a layer of melted cheese and then a crumble topping.

It was so delicious that I tried to replicate it at home lol. Don't laugh (I was very young at the time) I bought a packet of crumble mix and tried to make the dish from memory. When I came to eat it - it was disgusting! I'd bought a packet of 'sweet' crumble mix - as you'd use on an apple or rhubarb crumble.

I've often heard Eggplant Parmigiana mentioned in movies and TV programmes, and looking online - it's kind of similar to that aubergine crumble I had in that little English pub all those years ago, only instead they tend to use breadcrumbs instead of pastry crumble, although some recipes I've seen don't use breadcrumbs either - they don't seem to have any 'crunchy' element at all?

There are so many recipes out there, and they all seem so different (and going on photographs, the finished dishes look completely different) so I don't really know where to start. Do any of our friends across the pond have a tried and tested recipe I could try?

Many thanks
Jennie

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

I'm not a veggie now but I didn't eat any meat for about 15 years. It started when my daughter reached teenage and decided not to eat meat. Just out of practicality I tended to make meat meals for OH and son and meatless for her and me.
It's amazing how quickly you can go off the idea of meat. Butchers look and smell unappetising etc.

I 'fell off the wagon' if that's how you'd like to put it, about 8 years ago, after we moved back to the countryside and I realised that there would be no countryside without livestock farming

So, now I eat grass-reared scottish beef, local lamb, local free range chicken, game and the very occasional outdoor reared pork and bacon. I enjoy them all, plus fish, but I still make a lot of veggie meals and usually take the veggie option when eating out, unless I am confident of the source of the meat.

I love Aubergine Parmigiana but think it's a bit of a faff to prepare

Azz - I remember your 'vegan period' and remember gentle nagging about it not being a natural diet!

I seriously think we are 'designed' to eat food of animal and vegetable origin - our teeth and our digestion is geared up for it. The animal part can be dairy/egg etc if meat and/or fish simply isn't palatable

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

Jennie it should really contain anchovies but some add too much which makes it too fishy tasting for me. So I tried it without and it was fine.

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

That looks great Meg - I'll give it a try

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

I had Aubergine Parmigiana at a wedding once, it was the veggie option to turkey and it was lovely with a savoury cheesy crumble topping served with various salads .

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

Anchovies. Ooh ... er .. good job I never tried it then lol. Just the thought of them gives me the eebie geebies.

i was an au pair in the south of France many years ago and I remember buying a sandwich from a van on the beach where I used to take the children I looked after most days. They were these huge great round bap things (much bigger than ours) which they filled with diced up salad and dressing - so I just asked for a salad one. It was absolutely delicious, but what I didn't know was right in the centre of the sandwich they had added a little pile of anchovies. Eating around the edge I was completely unaware, but then I bit into the middle bit. Just the thought of it now makes me shudder.

Thanks again for the veggie version of Tapenade!

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

I love veg, turnips, carrots, cabbage, onions, brocholi, peas, parsley, sage rosemary and thyme, they go very well with Roast beef, Pork, Lamb, Fish.

Our niece is a vegitarian in a big way and keeps trying to convince us it is good to eat no meat and it is good for lowering cholesterol.

Everyone to their own I suppose but I am afraid it is not for me.

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

I love veg, turnips, carrots, cabbage, onions, brocholi, peas, parsley, sage rosemary and thyme, they go very well with Roast beef, Pork, Lamb, Fish.

AB matey, add to your list, Buffalo, Eland, kangaroo, Kudu, Ostrich, Wildebeeste, and Zebra.

Re: Any vegetarians on the forum?

Oh my God Uncle Joe!, you ate the whole Zoo!.