[Sca-cooks] Vegetarian politics aside.....

[Phlip]

I still want an answer to my question to our vegetarians.

What foods, for the time being, make you feel like you're having a meal as
satisfying as the steak next door? I honestly don't know- I suspect it's
rather subjective- for example, I will consider an omelet as a main dish,
but in my mind, macaroni and cheese is strictly a side dish, and pizza is an
appetizer.

I'm perfectly happy with an eggplant lasagna as a main dish (I dislike
vegetarianism, not either vegetarians or vegetables), and I can cheerfully
make a meal out of a number of "appetizers" as in tapas, dim sum, or sushi
(but not pizza ;-). I will be quite satisfied over a lunch of a pbj and
perhaps a bit of fruit.

I did, however, have an idea for a modern "illusion food" for those who
would like their plate to look like that of the person next to them- how
about battering and deep frying a brocolli spear? I think, with a little
playing, you could have it come out looking pretty much like a chicken leg.
If thet're doing battered fried chicken, it wouldn't be much trouble to add
in some broccoli spears.

Thinking, though, that Kirsten's suggestion of subbing in tofu in dishes
which require bits of beast, would not be a solution I'm happy with. While I
respect projects such as cousin Phillipa's efforts to create modified
recipes, to accomodate various food issues (btw, how's that coming, cuz?
Haven't heard much from you on it.) it's not my idea of recreating Medieval
food. My goal is to try to recreate what they actually ate, rather than to
change it to suit myself. I much prefer Cariadoc's suggestion, to simply
choose recipes which suit your various food issues.

Of course, that's easy for me to say, since the only food issues I have are
a strong dislike of bell peppers (fortunately OOP) and anise flavors
(unfortunately noot), but as we learn more and more, and are finding more
and more recipes, not only from cultures and languages previously
untranslated, but from more obscure texts in languages we have half a hope
of reading for ourselves, I think it's getting easier.

So, tell me, vegetarians, what suits you as a main dish? We'll take a fish
entree as a given, but a tofu imitation meat dish is out- I want to try to
get a better idea of the truly vegetarian foods that give you the mouth feel
and the belly fullness type of satisfaction that you (probably) used to have
with a meat-based entree.

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....