Enjoying a vegetarian Christmas meal

Over the holidays most people will have eaten more meat than is good for them. There's the family Christmas dinner and lunch, dinner with the in-laws, the office X'mas party and so on.
How about serving up a vegetarian meal for your family this year?
A vegetarian Christmas meal does not have to be boring, and your body will thank you for it afterwards. Here's a recipe you could try:

For the starter: Fresh Basil-Mini- Mozzarella en brochette (on a skewer)

150 gr Mini Mozzarella
8 Cherry Tomatoes
quarter piece yellow capsicum
quarter piece cucumber

marinade: 1 onion, 1 chilli pepper, garlic, juice of a half lemon, basil, oregano, 100 ml olive oil
salt and pepper

half the tomatoes, cut capsicum and cucumber in small pieces. Place the cheese, tomatoes, capsicum and cucumber on skewers. Set aside.
For the marinade chop onion, garlic, pepper finely, add lemon juice, oil, herbs and spices and marinate the cheese skewers for one hour. Serve with fresh baguette.

main course: Fresh Ravioli with Creamy Herb Sauce

buy 300 gr fresh ravioli preferrably stuffed with porcini filling from your local delicatessen. If you're up to the challenge you can make the ravioli yourself :)

2 shallots
garlic
1 TS olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
a quart ltr of cream
150 gr creme fraiche
basil, parsley, chervil - fresh if you can get them
200 gr button mushrooms,
salt & pepper, butter

Cook the ravioli in a pot of simmering water until they rise to the top. This doesn't take long.
Meanwhile, dice the shallots and garlic and sauté in olive oil. Pour in the wine and cook until liquid is reduced. Add the cream and creme fraiche. Reduce. Add salt and pepper. Pour sauce through a sieve into a small pan. Stir in chopped herbs and heat through.
Drain ravioli and add to sauce. In another pan stir-fry mushrooms in a little butter.
Distribute ravioli onto four plates and top with mushrooms.

Dessert: Apple Tarts with Vanilla Ice Cream

(makes 12)

300 gr Apples, lemon juice
Vanilla pod
1 TS brown sugar
a pinch of cinnamon
100 gr butter and 100 gr sugar
3 eggs, salt
125 gr flour, backing soda
ready bought vanilla ice cream

Into a bowl cut apples into slices and add lemon juice. scrape the inside of the vanilla pod into the bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir until well coated.

Heat water in a double boiler and place butter, sugar, eggs and salt into a double boiler and beat until creamy. Take off heat and continue stirring, until mixture has cooled. Add flour and baking soda carefully, pour into muffin cups and top with marinated apple slices.
Bake in oven at 180°C for ca. 35 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The recipe serves four, except for dessert which can be eaten for breakfast the next day. Yummy!

Enjoy...