Vegetarian Smoked Foods?

[houndgirl]

I am hosting a barbecue next weekend with the main attraction being a long-smoked brisket. I have a couple of very good friends who are vegetarian. While I'm going to have a lot of sides, like pasta salads, baked beans, etc., I wanted to serve something to them that doesn't seem like an afterthought. I was thinking of smoking some portobello mushrooms with a nice stuffing of breadcrumbs and fontina. They are sick of tofu. Any suggestions?

[kayrondad]

this is a very late response, but you can smoke: eggplants, yams, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, etc. I would use the same rub (I am a 'cuer and a firm believer in dry rub) you would on a good brisket and simply split these vegetables in half, SO NOT coat with olive oil, sprinkle the rub insid them liberally patting it into the vegetalbes. and then place then skin side down to keep the juices from running out.....okay hungry now!!

[fat kitty]

I am usually the above-mentioned friend in this scenario. I would love to have the smoked portobello as you describe. Great idea. Also, you might be able to do some kind of a smoked potato dish, or maybe a warm smoked potato salad of some kind.... I'm also a big fan of Garden burgers and tofu dogs and am always happy to have those offered at a bbq, esp when there are lots of side dishes available.

[lgss]

A former coworker included vegetarians at his cookout by making and grilling foil packets of veggies (eggplant, zuke, yellow squash, bell pepper, etc), that way the veggies weren't directly on the grill which had been used for meat.

[lgss]

Fontina (I had never heard of it until now) is not vegan, but if your friends are lacto-ovo then they should be ok with it.