Crispy Cauliflower Steaks with Caper Lemon Salsa

Crispy Cauliflower Steaks with Caper Lemon Salsa

I had the most enormous cauliflower from the market for this recipe, so I have halved the whole recipe to normal cauliflower sizes. So don’t be alarmed when you see 4 trays in the video. This is an excellent vegetarian main for a dinner party. It combines freshness from the salsa and crispy depth from the melted cheese. Serve with new season asparagus and a green salad.

Serves 2 for a main

Ingredients:

Main:

  • 1 whole cauliflower with leaves

  • 9 tbsp olive oil

  • 100g grated cheese (veggie parmesan or Grana Padano)

  • 2 chunky garlic cloves, grated

  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano

  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salsa:

  • 5 tbsp capers, roughly chopped

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • Lots of pepper (or you could add a chopped long red chili)

  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) fan.

  2. Prepare Cauliflower: Cut away the first layer of cauliflower leaves. Add the rest of the leaves to a baking tray, slicing the big leaves in half lengthways. Keeping the stalk intact, slice the whole cauliflower into thick 2cm slices and layer them flat in two baking trays. Cover everything with 6 tablespoons of olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Cover the trays with tin foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes.

  3. Prepare Cheese Mix: Mix 50g of the grated cheese, oregano, and grated garlic in a bowl.

  4. Roast Cauliflower: Remove the foil from the trays and cover the cauliflower steaks with the cheese mix. Drizzle over the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place back into the oven for 20 minutes until golden and crispy. The leaves will be done early, at around 15 minutes.

  5. Make the Salsa: While the cauliflower roasts, add the salsa ingredients to a bowl and season generously with pepper.

  6. Serve: Serve the roasted cauliflower in a large dish with the leaves, salsa, and remaining grated cheese on top.

Enjoy this flavourful and impressive vegetarian dish as the main attraction for your next dinner party. The crispy cauliflower steaks paired with the fresh caper lemon salsa are sure to delight your guests!