Recently, Faye Levy, noted cookbook author and food writer, wrote a piece for the Jerusalem Post about Cara Mangini, the "Vegetable Butcher." She also posted about it on Facebook. Then she asked if anyone else prepared "cauliflower steaks."
I do! Have done. Many times!
We are a family of cauliflower lovers and the "steaks" -- that is, thick slices cut from a whole head of cauliflower -- look beautiful on a plate, making them a special side dish at dinner.
I have a recipe for cauliflower steaks in my latest cookbook, The Modern Kosher Kitchen. Thanks for posting this, Liz Rueven, at kosherlikeme.com.
Note -- the steaks taste the same as any other "cut" of cauliflower.
The cutting takes some doing, and a very sharp chef's knife. Also, truth to tell, the smaller sections at the side of the cauliflower head fall away into regular florets. No worries. Cook them alongside the steaks. They're like the "burnt ends" that you get from barbecue -- no one ever complains about those, do they?
After the cutting, its' simple. A bit of oil and seasoning.
Like this recipe:
Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Sea Salt and Lime
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the green leaves at the bottom of the cauliflower and trim most of the fibrous stem attached to the head. Slice the head into “steaks” about 3/8-inch thick. Rinse and dry the slices on paper towels. Combine the olive oil, garlic and Dijon mustard and brush this mixture on both sides of the cauliflower slices. Place the slices on the parchment. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn the slices over and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until tender and crispy. Sprinkle the roasted cauliflowers steaks with lime juice. Note: for smaller pieces that fall away when you slice the head, cook along with the steaks. They may be done sooner, so look at them about 5 minutes ahead, or let them get browner, no harm done.
Makes 4 servings