A Thanksgiving feast for all: a vegan holiday meal that even traditional turkey eaters will love

Most of us look forward to Thanksgiving because it brings family and friends together. However, when meat eaters and vegetarians are gathered around the same table, making a holiday meal that pleases everyone can be a real challenge.

Often, the meat eaters suggest that the vegetarians just "eat around the bird," filling up their plates with all the trimmings. But this shortchanges vegetarian guests in two ways. First, it casts them as second-class citizens in their choice of food. Second, it lacks a culinary star, a vegetarian dish that has the same pomp and glamour as the big, bronzed bird.

In the past, I have searched for that special centerpiece dish for vegetarians. I've made spectacular wild mushroom tortes, overstuffed lasagnas, and multigrain casseroles. (I prefer any one of these to mock "turkey" made from seitan, tofu, or other imitators.) Unfortunately these always fell short because they didn't go well with the stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy that--along with the turkey--are the classic dishes of Thanksgiving.

The solution I have developed is equally lavish for carnivores and vegetarians. In addition to the turkey, I serve a huge squash filled with a sumptuous bread stuffing made with velvety chestnuts, wild rice, barley, leeks, and mushrooms. This autumnal beauty is as dramatic as any bird, and it pairs as perfectly as the turkey with all the familiar side dishes. It also requires attentive cutting into portions, which provides guests who skip the turkey with their own carving ritual. (There are a number of squashes impressive enough to work for this centerpiece dish; see "Autumn's Bounty".)

The rest of my holiday menu carries out the theme of tradition with a twist. I like to start the Thanksgiving feast with a mildly tart, ruby red cranberry soup garnished with crisp, savvy leeks. For the main course, I serve the stuffed squash recipe (and turkey) with yams and a green vegetable dish. Since white onions are traditional for many people, I have cooked them with green beans. The pureed yams have a touch of maple syrup, but are nothing like the toothache-sweet yams some people serve. I always offer two desserts, even at small holiday gatherings. It's much more fun to have a choice. For this menu, I have designed an amazing dairy-free Nesselrode pie laced with rum and chocolate, and a simple apple crisp that eliminates the need to make a pie crust. Since some of my guests like mince pie, I've combined a pungent mincemeat with the apples in the crisp.

The following holiday menu plan is designed to serve six vegetarians, with leftover stuffing and dessert, both of which are great the next day. If you want to add a turkey, there will be enough extra stuffing for up to six meat eaters. The two desserts will be enough for 12 people or more.

CRANBERRY SOUP

Serves 6

Set off by a tangle of crisp, frizzled leeks, the bright flavors and rosy color of this soup make it a perfect start for Thanksgiving dinner or any festive meal. Like many soups, it tastes even better the day after it's made, so you can prepare it ahead of time. Buy some extra cranberries for the freezer so you can make this recipe in the summer, too; this full-bodied soup is also satisfying served cold.

1 tablespoon Spectrum Spread
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 bay leaf
  Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 cups apple cider
1 cup frizzled leeks (recipe follows)

1. Using paper towel, spread Spectrum Spread over bottom of deep 3-quart saucepan. Add onion, celery, and carrot. With wooden spoon, mix vegetables to coat them with spread.

2. Place pot over low heat and cook, stirring until spread has been absorbed into vegetables and they look moist, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and saute until vegetables are translucent, 5 minutes. Cover pot tightly, reduce heat, and cook gently for 10 minutes, until vegetables release their juices.

3. Add cranberries, broth, peppercorns, cardamom, bay leaf, and cayenne. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

4. Pour soup through sieve placed over medium bowl. Discard bay leaf. Press on cooked vegetables and berries, working them with wooden spoon to push as much of their pulp through strainer as possible. You may need to do this in batches, discarding fibrous pulp before adding next batch. Be sure to scrape fine pulp clinging to outside of strainer into bowl. (Soup can be placed in airtight container and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to one month.)

5. When ready to serve, pour soup into large saucepan. Add cider and heat through. Pour soup into individual bowls, garnish with frizzled leeks, and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 187 calories, 1g protein, 7g fat, 32g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 44mg sodium, 61% vitamin A, 26% vitamin C, 6% calcium