Ashley Van Der Laan

Cauliflower Steaks

November 30, 2017 Ceri

It’s weird that vegetables are part of a trend cycle, isn’t it? Like, I saw someone actually roll their eyes the other day about a kale recipe. As in, kale is so 2010. Ridic. I mean, there are vegetables that I do not want to deal with (sorry okra, I cannot with you) but I’d never leave them on my plate because they’re not hip enough. Cauliflower felt like it was on the edge of a backlash recently, too. Everyone was all cauliflower cous cous this and cauliflower rice that and then it got expensive… well, I thought it was only a matter of time before nobody wanted to hear about cauliflower anymore. Not that it would have stopped me from making it, because I love it. And now that I’ve found a new way to cook it and serve it, I’ll be hanging on to it no matter which way the wind blows.

These cauliflower steaks are a fantastic side but they can also be a substantial main. One steak is surprisingly satisfying. Roasting them in the oven gives them a nutty flavour, enhanced by the peanut coconut sauce. They take on a great colour, making them even steak-ier. If you were having a vegetarian or vegan friend over, this would make a great alternative to the default pasta veggies often get served. And look how gorgeous they are! They definitely feel special enough to serve at a dinner party. You can serve them light side up, but if you gently flip them over onto the plate, you’ll get an even more barbecued looking steak.

photo by Ashley Van Der Laan

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Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
2 Tbsps olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 clove of garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp red curry paste
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsps cilantro, chopped

Method

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut your head of cauliflower in half, from top to bottom. Lay each half on a cutting board and cut away most of the big centre stalk. Peel away any leafy bits, too. Now slice your cauli halves into steaks - about an inch and a half thick each. You might have some smaller bits at the end and that's okay. I got four large steaks and two little ones.

Place the steaks on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Get them in the over for 20 minutes

Place the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, curry and coconut milk in a blender and whizz until smooth.

Use a spatula to lift each steak off the baking sheet and flip over to serve on a plate with a good drizzle of sauce. Top with a bit of cilantro if you like!

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