The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word ENTREES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
N
T
R
E
E
S
More clues leading to the result ENTREES
- Regularly chopped ferns and oaks, say, for starters
- Dishes made with roots of green plants
- Space given to plants in dishes
- Unlimited menu with maybe lime and cherry starters
- A little dash in front of woody plants can get you to the main courses
- Dishes made from hollowed-out Ethiopian plants
- Substantial dishes on platters, it's said
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "dishes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dishes = entrees.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ENTREES mean?
ENTREES noun- (French Canada) A smaller dish served before the main course of a meal.
- The main course or main dish of a meal.
- The act of entering somewhere, or permission to enter; admittance.
- An introduction or prelude.