Vegetarian Barbecue

[smurfchops]

I am having a bbq on Sunday (please pray for sun) with two of my nieces who are veggie, also they don't eat fish .. help!!  Can anyone think if some (easy) salads with maybe rice or pasta -- and how do you stop rice and pasta sticking together in a gooey mess when they have cooled down?  Also can someone recommend nice veggie burgers?? Thanks !

[natty23]

to be honest veggie burgers aren't much cop, and i'm always disappointed when thats all i get at bbq's.

why not try stuffing peppers or aubergines with cheese and spices, or haloumi (tastes divine and is very easy to prepare)

as an alternative to rice or pasta why not try cous cous - very cheap, easy to prepare and store and is extrememly versatile?

[MORELLO]

Veg kebabs - onions. peppers, mushrooms etc are nice (especially with a bit of rump). If they're strict enough to not eat fish, they may not eat anything of the grill due to it's 'contamination' from meat juices! I say leave them at home. Barbees are for carnivores, ar at least omnivores!! ;-)

[MORELLO]

ar - or

[morg_monster]

To stop rice and pasta sticking together:

1. probably most important: make sure you don't overcook it.  For rice I'd recommend a good basmati rice, not standard white rice as this can be very starchy and sticky.  I find brown rice also good for salads.

2. as soon as it is done, bung it in a colander and run cold water over and through it for a few minutes, give it a couple of stirs, til it is cold.  This will rinse off the excess starch which makes it stick and also stop it over cooking (it will carry on cooking while it is hot).

3. I usually stir an oil based vinaigrette type dressing, adds a nice taste and stops sticking further.

This never fails me and my pasta salads always survive an afternoon!  have fun!

Ooh another option for the veggies: kebabs - thread chunks of mushrooms, peppers, red onions, courgette, aubergines etc onto wooden skewers (soak the skewers in cold water first) and cook on BBQ.  Also very good with chunks of halloumi cheese too.

[spudqueen]

My halloumi cheese kebabs are very popular at barbecues (and not just with the veggies!). Soak your kebab sticks in water for 1/2 an hour or so. Soak mushrooms in olive oil (so they don't shrivel up on the barbie). Then thread on mushrooms, halloumi cheese, onions and different coloured peppers.

It may also be worthwhile investing in one of those disposable barbecues for as MORELLO says veggies may not be happy eating things cooked on the same barbie as meat.

[ArsenalLass]

ill pray for your sun if you wish me a happy birthday!!!! on sunday that is

[mews64]

the company 'cauldron' does pretty tasty veggie burgers etc..

Also, I tried some burgers called nut cutlets - can't remember the name of the company but they were good. Good luck!

[normyc]

Thick slices of Aubergine, and courgette, drizzled with EV olive oil.

Try as a side dish, shallots, peeled garlic cloves, sliced fennel and spring onions, wrapped in foil with some butter and thrown onto the grill.

Red peppers quartered and grilled skinside down and your favourite cheese ( mine is shropshire blue) crumbled into it.

Cous cous is nice, cook by pouring on boiling water and leaving for 10 minutes, then chop some spring onions, mint or whichever herb combo you want, and lemon juice and a knob of butter. Cous cous will only taste of what you add to it.

[smurfchops]

Thank you for all your answers so far and Happy Birthday Sunday Arsenal Lass, I shall have a little drinkie and think of you (in between eating my rump steak) ..

[dmsjps]

I wonder whether you could make your own veggie burgers. I make my own beefburgers, so I would imagine you could. Just put everything in a food processor, then season and bind it together with an egg and voila! Hopefully anyway!

 

Must admit, even though I'm a meat lover, I do love the big chunks of pepper, baby onions, baby tomato & mushrooms on kebab sticks when they've been cooked over charcoal! Not the same with a gas BBQ, but then nothing is without that charcoal flavouring.

 

I have a similar reply regarding the rice/pasta. I use easy-cook long grain rice (only cheap stuff though), then rinse it under cold water until it's cooled down and it's fine. Same with pasta and that's fine too.

 

natty23's stuffed peppers sounded nice: you could cook them in foil at first (or zap them in the microwave) if you wanted to add bigger bits of diced mushrooms, onions, etc, then remove the foil to finish them off.

 

I'm getting hungry now, can I come to the BBQ?

[funkychicken]

I make a pesto pasta salad which is always popular, cook some pasta shapes and let them cool or run under cold water, add pesto until all the pasta is nicely covered, add some chopped tomatoes and some cold peas, you can also add parmesan if you like. To stop pasta sticking together I just add a bit of oil to the water when cooking or when its drained. http://www.sainsbury.co.uk/recipe/ has some nice recipes for burgers if you wanted to make your own rather than buy them. Theres a recipe for tofu kebabs somewhere on there and they sound nice as well.
Hope you have a nice bbq :)

[nykkieberry]

Tesco's vegetarian bacon and cheese burgers and vegetarian leek and cheese sausages...YUM! I also like huge flat mushrooms covered in butter, garlic and cheese, roasted veg with feta, camembert baked in the oven (in it's wooden case) and served with dipping bread, quorn kebabs, greek salads, ceasar  salad, corn on the cob, baked potatoes....all cooked on a separate BBQ.

[stevie21]

ArsenalLass, have a fantastic day : I have TWO close family members with birthdays today.
BBQ lass, I'd go for the veg (peppers) stuffed with other wodgets (rice). If anyone is fussy enough to complain that it's been made on the same 'oven' as some meat then I'd politely suggest that they eat elsewhere.

What about non-meaty (extra work for you) stir fry?

[smurfchops]

Thanks everyone for your answers. The BBQ went very well and brilliant weather ... plenty of rice with coriander, sweetcorn, tin lentils, and cous cous . I bought some packs of mediterranean couscous because I thought they would have more flavour (thanks normyc for that advice) and I added tomatoes, olives, spring onion, coriander,  etc etc. Also Tesco vegeburgers - thanks so much for all your help. There's lots of rice left if anyone wants some ...