Forget the vegetarian lasagnes and stuffed peppers. As tasty as they can be, chances are, your vegetarian guests will have been faced with a rather bland take on these dishes at one too many weddings already.
If you're a vegetarian yourself, you probably know all about the often overlooked and oh-so predictable meat-free options on the average wedding menu. And, if you're a meat-eater, then - with an estimated four million vegetarians in the UK, which accounts for some seven per cent of the population - chances are, you'll be catering for a number of vegetarian guests at your wedding.
First, you need to decide whether you're going to serve a wholly vegetarian wedding breakfast or a combination of meat and non-meat dishes. If you're opting for the former, design a menu of dishes so delicious that no one will miss the meat. If you're taking the combination route, then avoid simply serving your vegetarian guests the dishes on the menu minus the meat; instead, opt for dishes so bursting with colour and flavour that your meat eating guests may well find themselves with a bad case of food envy.
The key here is to think creatively. Cast aside those bland visions of beans and lentils, and instead choose dishes with an utterly delicious balance of colour, flavour and texture. We're talking fresh, zingy salads and melt-in-the-mouth cheeses; hearty pies brimming with flavoursome vegetables and tantalising Indian feasts lavished with rich spices.
The Round Kitchen has designed an innovative and exciting menu of vegetarian dishes, which are guaranteed to make your guests' taste buds sing. The menu is peppered with creative and delicious alternatives to classic meat dishes, for example, roasted asparagus spears wrapped with griddled aubergine and served with a balsamic red onion salad makes for a moreish meat-free take on a classic asparagus and Parma ham starter, meanwhile, roasted garlic, fresh chilli and rosemary courgette tagliatelle is an oh-so tasty take on a classic chilli crab linguini, which ticks the vegan and gluten-free boxes to boot. In fact, a good number of the dishes on this menu can easily be adapted for guests with special dietary requirements.
Packed with culinary flair and tantalising flavours, your vegetarian guests are sure to feel well and truly spoilt at the mere sight of these delectable dishes - and isn't that what the wedding breakfast is all about?
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Roasted garlic, fresh chilli and rosemary courgette tagliatelle
Finished with a lemon and Cornish sea salt, Cornish rapeseed oil and toasted pine nuts
Allotment pie and mash
Short crust pastry pie box, filled with lightly griddled baby carrots, green beans, sprouting broccoli and roasted cauliflower florets, served with an olive oil celeriac mash, finished with a tarragon and white wine cream sauce
Caramelised shallot and thyme tarte tatin
Fresh garden pea and soft goat's cheese salad
With mixed micro herbs, nasturtium leaves and flowers, pea shoot and peas, finished with a fresh mint and pea coulis
Roasted asparagus spears, aubergine and balsamic red onion salad
Finished with toasted pecan crumb and basil butter
Oyster mushroom, leek and Cornish Blue cheese open lasagne
Finished with a mascarpone cream and a white truffle oil
Little India vegetables
Vegetable and sweet spice biryani, roasted cumin, coriander seeds and cauliflower in a fresh tomato and red pepper sauce, chilli vegetable pakoras and a saag paneer sauce
Roasted Mediterranean vegetable ratatouille
Topped with a feta, Demerara almond and sage crumble, served with a fresh rocket aioli
Baked Cornish Camembert
With crushed confit garlic, cracked black pepper and horseradish crouton and warm vegetable salad
The Round Kitchen
www.theroundkitchen.com
words Rebecca Matthews
Copyright Wed magazine 2014
