Having received many requests regarding what to serve vegetarian Shabbat guests, I have crafted a menu which will satisfy all taste buds.

But as regards vegetarian recipes, on Shabbat Chanukah I was called out by our host for including a chicken recipe when I stated that I do not feature meat dishes. He was correct! Chicken is the one meaty item I prepare for my husband as a compromise, so occasionally there will be chicken recipes.

Now let’s focus on our vegetarian guests for Shabbat lunch. As vegetarians know, often they are left to make do with whatever salads are served. It’s hard not to feel like an afterthought, but busy cooks may not realize how many scrumptious and colorful dishes there are for vegetarians.

As an appetizer, a pretty and pleasing choice is mini peppers stuffed with bulgur, which is a great grain that is underutilized. It’s easy to prepare and very versatile. Our next course is a salad of mixed lettuces with fennel and orange in a black olive vinaigrette. This colorful salad offers an array of flavors, savory, bitter and sweet, sure to be a hit.

Our main offering is steak: cauliflower steak, that is, with a simple chimichurri sauce. This is just gorgeous to plate and so delicious. For the side dishes, we can be playful and go all out! I suggest roasted vegetable couscous with chickpeas and an onion-pine nut topping, which is a Moroccan recipe. To stay with the same flavor profile, I serve Moroccan quinoa with dried cherries and shallots; it’s wonderful. Another choice would be ratatouille served on broiled polenta with a bed of baby greens; if there are any leftovers, process the ratatouille to make a quick and yummy appetizer spread.

Dessert is two-fold: sage-roasted winter fruits, so warming, and a one-bowl apple cake. As you by now expect, there is a great hack for this cake that I once prepared for a friend for Rosh Hashanah. Thirty minutes after I delivered it, well before Yom Tov, she called me laughing to say that the cake had been finished off by her family — it’s that good!

So don’t feel intimidated by vegetarians at your Shabbat table — everyone can share in a fabulous and healthy meal. Do remember that I gladly provide all recipes mentioned in my articles; just email me which ones you are interested in.

Chimichurri Cauliflower Steak

Servings: 2

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut 2 slices, 1 inch thick, from the center of a cauliflower.

Combine 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil with 1 teaspoon ground cumin and brush onto cauliflower slices. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, heat two tablespoons canola oil on medium-high until hot. Add cauliflower steaks and cook four minutes. Turn slices over and place skillet in oven; roast for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower stem is tender.

Meanwhile, stir together 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and parsley (if you don’t like cilantro, you can use all parsley), three tablespoons red wine vinegar, one small crushed garlic clove, one seeded, minced jalapeno (wear gloves for this); 1/4 red bell pepper, minced, two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Serve steaks with herb sauce.

Adapted from Health magazine

Mixed Lettuce Salad With Fennel and Orange in Black Olive Vinaigrette

4 servings

Black Olive Vinaigrette:

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified. Add olives and parsley. You can prepare the vinaigrette two days in advance.

Salad:

• 1 head Belgian endive, sliced
• 1 medium navel orange
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
• 1 box mesclun mix with radicchio

Using a sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from the orange. Quarter

the orange and slice pieces crosswise. Just before serving, combine lettuces, endive, fennel and the orange slices in a large serving bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat.

From EatingWell

Dorene Richman has taught cooking classes, written recipe columns and was the Recipe Testing Coordinator for the original award-winning Kosher Palette cookbook. She is a passionate cook and baker for whom cooking is therapy, as well as being a pescatarian. For the rest of the above recipes, she can be reached at [email protected].