FIELD TO TABLE

SATISFYING AND HEALTHFUL, THIS ALL VEGETABLE MENU MAKES THE MOST OF AUTUMN’S BOUNTY AND IS SO SATISFYING THAT EVEN CARNIVORES WON’T MISS THE MEAT.

WHEN A VEGETARIAN comes over for dinner, I want them to feel special, not different. That means I won’t try to pass off a bunch of side dishes as a meal, nor will I single them out with frozen lasagna for one. Instead, I’ll cook up a plant-based feast for everyone.

It’s easy to draw inspiration for a vegetarian menu this time of year. Farmers’ markets and produce aisles are piled high with a cornucopia of vegetables well suited to the heartier appetites of fall.

As a starter, I’ll roast off thick cauliflower wedges until sweetly caramelized and dress them up with ripe figs, briny olives and crunchy pine nuts. The main event is a meat-free spin on cassoulet, the carnivorous casserole from southwest France. Trust me: this is no consolation prize. With chewy mushrooms and plump white beans slowly baked in a garlicky porcini broth, it’s just as satisfying as the original. For dessert, carrot cake gets a modern makeover with parsnips as the star root. Yes, at my dinner table you can have your cake and eat your vegetables, too.

To help set the mood for your dinner party with a stylish mix of jazz standards and pop songs, go to lcbo.com/fieldtotable for an easy and relaxed playlist curated by music columnist Ann Lough.