Best vegetarian food in the region...

[sunny]

Hello,

Am a foodie, but a vegetarian one and trying to find out delicious places to eat in the region.  I know it is hard...but there are some really good veggie friendly places

My absolute fav. is a place called Le Papillon or in Albi which has, hold your breath, a separate vegetarian menu along with the meat one.  Absolutely delicious!

What's your favourite?

 

[Patf]

Our house[:D]Seriously, I've never come across one in the Gers.

[Francie]

 

I would recommend L'Ayssènol Ayssenes http://www.ayssenol.fr The restaurant is located in the village of Ayssenes near Le Truel sitting above the Tarn river in the Aveyron (12). We visited there with friends last June. It was a great dining experience. We sat in the garden, where many of the produce for the restaurant were growing. That night we were the only diners and were served and cooked for by the owner. On handing us the menu we were asked if we would like to look at the menu or be surprised. We all opted for a surprise and we were surprised and impressed.  I could go on more but best to try it yourself. They do meat options. If you don’t leave nearby or know the area you will be impressed with that as well. The area and the restaurant are definitely worth making part of a trip.

 

BP where is Le Papillon and what is the name/address of the restaurant in Albi? 

 

Francie.

 

[sunny]

Hello Francie,

L'Ayssènol Ayssenes  sounds great and will make a special trip to have a meal there and see the area.

I mis-typed - Le Papillon is in Albi.  You can get some info from the following link:

http://www.le-guide.com/restaurants/lepapillon.html

Hoping that as restaurants get more business for gourmet vegetarian dining, we will see more such offerings.  So other folks out there, please share your recommendations...

Thanks,

BP

[sunny]

Hello Patf,

Agree - I think I make better food than most of the veggie offerings I have had in SW France (not hard to make something more exciting than the salad and omelette usually offered to me).  My OH, on the other hand, loves duck and really enjoys delicious meals in the region...

BP

[Gemonimo]

Hi BP..... do you have an interesting christmas vegetarian recipe for me - something that looks (and tastes) special? I quite agree with you about omelettes and salads in the SW but then, IMHO, the only vegetables eaten down here are haricot verts that look like boiled up army fatigues....!. Jen

[sunny]

Hello Gemonimo,

 Here is what I often serve for Christmas – for my meat eating OH, I add a side of lightly smoked, fruit-stuffed Icelandic lamb to the main course

 

Pumpkin ravioli with sage butter

BP’s chickpea curry  with BP’s potato roast and BP’s brussel sprouts

Orange and walnut salad

Cheese

Dessert

 

Pumpkin ravioli with sage butter

 

Buy/make pumpkin ravioli (I usually go with four per person as an appetizer)

On a low heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and a touch of olive oil and add 2 sage leaves (for one person)

Let the butter turn brown and the sage leaves turn a bit crisp

Add 1 heaped tsp brown sugar (or to taste) and the cooked ravioli

Add some freshly ground salt and pepper and serve warm

 

BP chickpea curry

 

Warm some butter and a touch of oil in a pan

Add one bay leaf, 2 cloves, a small (1/4 inch) stick of cinnamon, and two whole peppercorns

Add half tsp mustard seeds and half tsp cumin seeds

When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add a small diced onion

Brown the onion, and when it starts looking done, add a couple of tbsp of red wine

Add one peeled, finely diced tomato (easy to get the skin off if you blanch it first), or add one from a can

Add one teaspoon freshly grated ginger and one clove minced garlic, and one finely chopped green chilli

Add  a pinch of turmeric powder,  one heaped tsp coriander powder and one heaped tsp of cumin powder – Whatever improvisations you do,  do NOT add the ubiquitous curry powder

Cook covered on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring a couple of times

Add the drained and washed chickpeas and 2 cups boiling water

Cook covered on a low heat for ~20 minutes

Mash the chickpeas a bit so the sauce thickens  - cook uncovered for another 4-5 minutes

Serve with a pinch of lemon

 

 

 

BP’s potato roast

 

Boil 2 big potatoes and one sweet potato till cooked enough to remove the skin, but still firm in the center

Peel the potatoes and slice most of them into rounds

Keep a bit of both the regular potato and sweet potato and grate these instead of slicing– think this is quite key to getting a creamy roast

Oil a baking dish and line with the potato and sweet potato slices and top with the grated mix

Make some white sauce – simple roux of butter and flour followed by whisking in hot milk and cooking till it thickens

Once it is ready, add the following to the sauce - one clove minced garlic, one finely grated chilli, a  pinch of ground cinnamon, freshly ground salt and pepper, and a small bit of grated mature cheddar (or any other mature, hard cheese)

Pour the white sauce over the potato mix and bake for 20 minutes or so till the potatoes are crisp

 

 

BP’s brussel sprouts

 

Melt some butter and a touch of olive oil in a pan

Add washed and cleaned sprouts, that are sliced in half (put the cut  half  facing the bottom so it browns nicely)

Add a couple of tsp of boiling water and cover to let steam a bit

Add a generous splash of red wine, a bit of grated ginger and some chilli flakes and cover and cook

When the sprouts are close to almost done, add some soya sauce and a dash of freshly ground pepper and salt (add the latter only if required)

Cook a bit more, then squeeze a bit of lemon on top and serve

 

Orange and walnut salad

 

Wash any salad mix (baby spinach, mesclun etc.) and blot dry

Add some mandarin orange sections - can be bought in a jar or I simply peel a fresh mandarin and then peel each segment/slice  (peeling the inner thin, membrane over each section is tricky, but really helps the mandarin to mix well in the salad)

Warm some butter and add walnut halves.  Stir till they start smelling toasty.  Then add some brown sugar, a pinch of chilli powder and soya sauce and cook for a minute.  Remove from the heat and add to the salad leaves (if you have really fresh, sweet walnuts just add them without toasting/seasoning them)

Mix some olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and a dash of wholegrain/Dijon mustard paste

Pour this over the salad mix, season with salt and pepper and serve

 

I have made these dishes many times and love the satisfying, rich taste.  Makes me feel warm, secure and well-nourished in winter...

BP

[Gemonimo]

Thanx BP....

Looks delicious - I think I'll have a dry run before Christmas just so as I know what I'm doing on the day. Jen

[Llantony]

The Petit Feuillant at Gramont, Tarn & Garonne but it's on the edge of the Gers.  It's our annual treat and alongside various duck menus, they do a vegetarian dish for every course.  The trouble is it's all delicious and there's far too much food!  It includes wine and a home-made aperatif. 

Also le Canabal near Lauzerte is nice.

 

[sunny]

Llantony,

Thanks for your suggestions.  Looked at the Petit Feuillant website and their menu seems fully meat-based.  Do you have to call in advance for veggie options...?

My diary of places to eat in the SW is growing thanks to recommendations from all of you.

BP

[Llantony]

Yes,

You have to book in advance anyway but yes, if you ask they do a veggie meal - cheaper than meat too!