Cauliflower steaks with salsa verde are a hearty dish that vegans will eat – San Bernardino Sun
Back home, we call cauliflower slices “veggie steaks.” They are a welcome steam roasted treat to serve when visiting the vegan branch of our family. I love how the chefs at America’s Test Kitchen steam them in a scorching oven under a foil cover before roasting them to create a nice caramelization on the outside.
A vibrant Italian-style salsa verde accompanies the savory slices. It’s a blend of parsley, mint, garlic, vinegar, oil, and capers – a blend that adds an alluring herbal spark. It goes together quickly in a food processor in less time than it takes in the oven to heat up.
Cauliflower steaks with salsa verde
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
2 tablespoons of water
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cauliflower heads (2 pounds each), cut into four 1 1/2-inch slices
lemon wedges
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Pulse the parsley, mint, 1/4 cup oil, water, vinegar, capers, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a food processor until mixture is finely chopped but not smooth, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer salsa verde to a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
2. Place the slices on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; rub to distribute. Flip the tiles and repeat.
3. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil and roast for 5 minutes. Remove foil and roast until bottoms of slices are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully flip the slices and continue roasting until tender and the other side is golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Transfer to a platter and brush evenly with 1/4 cup salsa verde. Serve with lemon wedges, passing the remaining salsa verde separately.
Source: America’s Test Kitchen’s “Vegetables Illustrated” ($40)
Contact Cathy Thomas at [email protected]
