When you organise a grill or tailgate party, the first recipes that you will

think about are based on meat, fish and poultry. But what is some of your

friends are vegetarians? Or maybe your son's girlfriend is a veggie? So you will

need to sort something out for them too. Some people who call themselves

vegetarians will eat fish; however you cannot rely on that. But even if you have

not cooked veggie before, it is not too difficult.

But before you read on, remember to sign up for our free "Tip of the

Week" (use the orange box on the top right),

showcasing customized tips and information straight from The Grilling Coach,

Richard Myers -- Grill Master.

The most obvious things to do are ready made veggie burgers and veggie dogs -

these are mock meats and are generally ideal for grilling. When buying these,

check the cooking instructions though as some (veggie dogs in particular) are

not suited to grilling and will just turn into a soggy mess! Another great

alternative is to do vegetable skewers but add cubes of a non-melting cheese

such as Halloumi, a Greek cheese. Another alternative for a meat substitute is

tofu, but that is generally very bland so will need marinating. It takes a lot

longer to get the marinade flavour into the tofu so you should put it to

marinade in the refrigerator about 24 hours in advance of the grill party. Tofu

is soya bean curd which comes as a soft solid block. This needs cubing (one inch

cubes) before marinating and cooking.

But there are some differences in cooking these when compared with real

meats. The level of fats and juices is generally much lower in commercial

vegetarian products, great for the waistline but it means that they are more

likely to weld themselves to the grill! So to combat that, you will need to make

sure the grill is cleaned well and either wipe the grill surface with a paper

towel soaked in olive (or any other cooking) oil or use a non-stick spray.

Generally speaking, vegetarians would prefer to eat food that has not been in

contact with meat or fish products so it is best to reserve an area of the grill

for their food. However, many are practically minded enough to realise that

total segregation is not possible but they do appreciate it if you make an

effort. That goes for the utensils too, so it will make the grilling process a

little more complex but don't let that detract from your party. If your boss or

anyone in his or her family is vegetarian, you could really impress them by

having two grills, one for vegetarian food only. Oh yes, and remember to use

vegetable stock instead of meat stock for any sauces that you will offer your

guests.

So the first time or two that you grill for vegetarians will be a bit more of

a strain, but practice makes perfect. Also, your meat eating guests may be

curious and also enjoy trying an alternative food - thus your grilling party

will be talked about for ages afterwards for all the right reasons.

While you're here, remember to sign up for our free

"Tip of the Week" (use the orange

box on the top right), showcasing customized tips and

information straight from The Grilling Coach, Richard Myers -- Grill Master.

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