Unless one wants to go to ridiculous lengths to impress a vegetarian (who ever heard of a snobby vegetarian, anyway?), the simplest preparation of fresh produce is usually the best way to go. After all, is there anything better than some butter melting over freshly cooked corn, or a drizzle of fragrant olive oil over some thickly sliced tomatoes?
Over the years, my cooking has gradually included more vegetarian dishes, as the produce available has become more varied and certainly more enticingly fresh. Ongoing research in science has swung back and forth over everything we consume from carbohydrates, sodium and meat to chocolate and wine, but it has never been anything but positive about vegetables. If there were labels that indicated calorie and nutrient content attached to the fresh vegetables we ate, we’d all feel so pleased about doing ourselves a favor with each mouthful. Consider the healthful nature of some vegetables: Tomatoes burst with vitamin C and cancer-fighting nutrients, and research shows that the concentrated goodness of tomatoes improves upon cooking them. Leafy greens have always been touted as an important contributor of fiber, vitamin C and calcium—what a package. And the darker the leaf, the more nutritious. For instance, given the choice between a head of iceberg and a bundle of arugula, go for the darker-toned latter.
Cooking for a vegetarian should not strike fear into the heart as it once did mine. In fact, we should all do ourselves the lifelong favor of incorporating more of a vegetarian’s eating habits into our own lives. It’s easy. Now’s probably the best possible time to start, when late summer produce is at its peak, including everyone’s favorites like squash, beans, peppers, eggplants, corn, glorious varieties of tomatoes, and fresh herbs like sage and basil, cilantro and oregano.
A simple rule to follow when omitting meat or fish from a meal is to make sure there is balance. For instance, a soup and a couple of feather-light salads will provide variety, but not comfort or substance. While it might be all you need for a light lunch, it would probably leave your dinner friends feeling rather empty. Include in the menu a starch, or at least a ‘heavy’ vegetable such as broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower or lentils to even out the meal.
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