Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Grapes
| Serves | 4 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cauliflower |
| Day Part | Dinner |
| Menu Part | Entree |
| Cuisine Type | Mediterranean |
Chef Rebecca Peizer
Culinary Institute of America
St. Helena, Calif.
Cauliflower steak, a popular center-of-the-plate choice for plant-based entrees, gets elevated with this treatment from chef Peizer. She roasts the head of cauliflower before cutting it into thick slices, then tops it Mediterranean-style, with a caper-raisin vinaigrette, feta cheese, grapes and pistachios.
Ingredients
1 large whole head cauliflower
¼ cup butter, softened
2 tbsp. capers
2 tbsp. golden raisins
¼ cup golden balsamic vinegar
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup watercress or arugula
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
¼ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Do not use convection. Trim cauliflower of its leaves and clean the base. Rub butter all over cauliflower head and season with salt.
2. Place cauliflower in roasting pan; roast in oven for 1½ hours until browned all over and tender when tested with a metal skewer. Slice the cauliflower into 1-inch thick steaks.
3. In saucepan, combine capers, raisins and vinegar; bring to a boil. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes; cool.
4. In blender, puree vinegar mixture. Slowly add ½ cup olive oil to create an emulsion for vinaigrette.
5. Toss watercress in vinaigrette and place a portion on each of four serving plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a cauliflower steak on top of watercress; drizzle with more vinaigrette. Garnish with grapes, pistachios and feta cheese.
Photo courtesy of California Table Grape Commission