General Chat

Real mince doesn't have much flavour - I always put various things in like HP sauce, tomato puree, herbs, tons of pepper etc. otherwise it's way too bland. I think there's still that underlying 'animal' taste/texture - perhaps it's just the fat (although I drain off 95% of it) although it's very faint. Quorn definitely very much the same if prepared in the same way :-)

My take on being a vege is that I do my best and I do use a bit of Worcester sometimes and what I don't know I can't do anything about.

Like at the parish lunch. I have had one woman, and I have to admit that I do take all the potato out of anything I cook for her, who rings up to see if I eat cheese or if it matters what kind of margarine she uses. I feel that my choices should not inconvenience others greatly so just don't tell me and then I won't know.

One family insists on cooking me a veg sausage casserole and it is horrible so I don't go that month but I am always happy to take my own anyway.

We have Hendersons relish here, it's lovely and vege

I don't have an opinion on what people eat, meat, fish etc, that's their choice but being a strict vege, I look at the lables

we used to make a Shepherdess Pie whenever we had any veggies or vegans coming to eat with us .................

it can serve as the main dish for the veggies and one of the vegetable side dishes for others.

It only has veggies in it, no soya or Quorn or other meat substitutes


Everyone always liked it

Minced beef cooked up with tinned tomatoes etc. as you suggest freezes really well.

I think I would have been inclined to cook it ahead of time and not have all the worry on the day :-)

I always freeze batches of bolognese sauce, it sounds as if your recipe wouldn't be too different.

You're right Lavender, it does freeze well as I froze some when trying out different recipes. I won't need to freeze it in advance though because all I have to do on the day is shove everything into slow cookers and leave it to get on with cooking. If I chop the onions the day before it should be a doddle. I've got the use of 6 slow cookers and I've got all the recipe quantities worked out so I think I'm OK for the meat eaters.

I wanted help so I could be sure of giving the few vegetarians something tasty as well.

I think I must be getting old :-( This party is an annual affair and I've done it four times before but when I was quite a bit younger. We also had it in our own house and garden then and the evening food was usually a BBQ organised by the men. Now we live in a slightly smaller house with a much smaller garden so we have hired a hall. There is a nice area to sit out but BBQs aren't allowed so I am stuck with doing the evening food as well. Still, as they say in the theatre "It'll be alright on the night". Or maybe we'll all be down the chippie :-D

I've cooked for vegetarians, no problem.

One friend is vegan; she's a nightmare to feed. As well as that, she nags everyone else at the table for eating what she won't.

:-(

I could never see the point of trying to make something that isn't meat look or taste like meat.

Either you eat meat or you don't. All the non-meat eaters I have ever known wouldn't go near meat substitutes of any sort.

I have been a vegetarian for a very long time and I don't enter the making meals without meat debate any more because it inevitably draws them out of the woodwork churning out one dimensional arguments they have heard somewhere and can't look at from more than one angle.

I have been to Aldi this afternoon and bought a pack of Quorn mince so tomorrow I will be experimenting with it. Tomorrow night's dinner could be interesting :-D

IGP

It's not a question of substitutes tasting like 'meat'

If it did, I wouldn't eat it

It tastes of whatever I use to make it

I have been to Asda today and they are selling the stuff for £1.74 for a 300 grm. bag or 3 for a £5 with an allergy advice. (Aldi is cheaper)


Allergy Advice

Contains: Eggs.
There have been rare cases of allergic reactions to Quorn, which contains mycoprotein, a member of the fungi/mould family.
Mycoprotein is high in protein and fibre which may cause INTOLERANCE in some people.

GP

I don't understand your point GP?

So some people may be allergic to.............lot's of foods

Are vegetarians more at risk?

Not really.

I found it a little amusing when I googled the highlighted word in my post and read it's definition.

GP

I use half Quorn and half meat in all mince recipes. Useless for vegetarians but brilliant for slimmers.

If you eat a gingerbread man is that cannibalism?

We all eat what we want to eat, that's OK

I never saw a cow/pig or anything else of such, look like a sausage or burger until it was slaughtered and processed

Maybe they were 'shaped' into such forms?

I wonder if we can 'shape' non meat products into the same shape?

Since when did a sausage/burger shape belong exclusively to an animal!

SuffolkVera asked for advice on Quorn Mince and I gave a personal opinion and thought it tasted like cardboard. I read the cooking instructions on the packet today and you have to add your herbs and sauces like you would with real meat. I did this a very long time ago and found the stuff disgusting - a personal opinion but not everyone's.

GP

SuffolkVera asked for advice

Maybe advice would best come from a vegetarian who can 'relate' to what vegetarian food is?

I think one of the biggest problems we have about Vegetarians is that they don't like being questioned about the food they eat by people like me.
I suggest you google for the definition of the word I highlighted and you will see what I mean.

GP

The brand of soya mince I used to have ( and the reason I haven't seen it lately is that it is apparently now part of the LM brand) does not have egg in it, it does however have garlic powder, one person I know is allergic to garlic, which comes in many prepared foods, gravy etc, she has been caught out because it is always way down the list of ingredients and if a recipe changes ( "new and improved") it may not be noticed.

Always read the packet ;-) of course on real meat it doesn't always include the ingredients.... antibiotics for instance..... you pays your money and you takes your choice.