Pleasing the No-Meat Crowd

Instead of serving the meat-free set the same old, same old, take these insider tips for offering a vegetarian meal that’s creative, satisfying and tasty. Fill Them Up If you’ll have a number of non-meat-eaters, stations or heavy appetizers may be the way to go, as they will allow you to serve a lot of different options for vegetarians and carnivores alike. But if you’ve opted for a plated dinner, Elyse Moore, wedding and social events manager for Chicago-based FIG Catering, suggests taking a nod from the season. “In the fall and winter, rich, savory pastries, such as portobello Wellington with mashed potatoes and blackened Brussels sprouts or spinach-and-goat-cheese strudel, make great vegetarian entrées,” Moore says. Gourmet Options Forgoing the flesh doesn’t mean you aren’t a foodie. Just check out these epicurean menu suggestions from Emily Brune, a senior event coordinator and co-owner of Eco Caters, which operates in L.A., San Diego and Washington D.C. Passed hors d’oeuvres: • Truffled grilled cheese • Fresh bruschetta with tomato concasse, avocado oil and preserved lemon. Main dishes and sides: • Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage • Beet spaghetti with baby broccoli, red onion, Living Tree olive oil and Santa Barbara olives • Wild mushroom quinoa Cultural Club For more tasty inspiration, go global. Indian cuisine is ideal, says Brune, because the heavy use of cumin and curry imparts the same rich, hearty flavor that you might find more consistently in a meat dish. Other smart go-to’s include Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Asian.