Crispy Spiced Cauliflower Steaks Recipes

OVEN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER STEAK

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil or high-heat-resistant parchment paper and spray it with olive oil.
• Wash the cauliflower heads, then remove the outer leaves and trim the very bottom of the core, but keep the core intact. Slice each head into 3/4-inch-thick slices. The outer slices will fall apart - you can simply roast them as florets together with the steaks. Plan on getting three steaks out of each cauliflower head.
• Arrange the "steaks" in a single layer on the baking sheet. Scatter the florets around them. Spray their tops with olive oil and sprinkle them with half the seasonings.
• Bake the cauliflower pieces for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully turn, spray with more oil and sprinkle with the remaining spices, and bake until browned and fork-tender, 10-15 more minutes.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet.
• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 of the olive oil mixture over the tops of the cauliflower steaks.
• Roast cauliflower steaks in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Gently turn over each steak and brush with remaining olive oil mixture. Continue roasting until tender and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.

CRISPY SPICED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a wire rack or paper towels, and set aside.
• Finely grind cinnamon, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, cumin and cloves in a spice grinder, spice mill or mortar and pestle.Transfer to a bowl, and stir in cayenne and 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk both flours until combined. Whisk in lime and lemon juices, then gradually whisk in enough water until the mixture is the consistency of thin pancake batter (about 1 1/3 cups). There is no gluten in either flour, so don't worry about overmixing.
• Stir in turmeric and the spice mixture. Taste, and adjust salt as needed.
• Working with 1 or 2 steaks at a time, push the cauliflower steaks into the batter, turn to coat and allow to marinate for at least 3 minutes.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium high. Add coconut oil to a depth of 1/3-inch, and heat until hot. Carefully drip a few drops of batter into the oil to test that it's sufficiently hot. The batter should immediately sizzle and expand. Slip the steaks one at a time directly from the batter into the pan. Don't overcrowd the pan - the steaks should never touch.
• Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the steaks around the pan after 6 to 8 minutes to ensure even browning. Use a thin metal spatula to carefully flip the steaks. Continue cooking until the second sides are golden-brown and the cores are tender when pierced with a knife, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer steaks to the prepared baking sheet, and allow to drain. Season with salt. Repeat with the remaining steaks and any remaining smaller pieces of cauliflower, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent the steaks from browning too quickly.
• Serve hot or reheat in an oven at 400 degrees until hot and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a shower of chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing on top.

CASHEW-CRUSTED CAULIFLOWER "STEAK"

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have a cooling rack that is oven safe, you can place that over the parchment paper to help the cauliflower crisp up even more. However, we tested it with and without and both work. The primary difference is that the cauliflower undersides can get a little more browned when not using a cooling rack. An easy workaround is cooking the cauliflower in the upper third of the oven to prevent the bottoms from burning.
• TO CUT "STEAKS," trim the stem and leaves off the cauliflower, being careful not to remove the center of the stem as it's what holds the "steaks" together.
• Flip the cauliflower stem-side down and visually map out how many "steaks" you hope to get. With a large head of cauliflower, I aim for 3 large "steaks," and know there'll be enough remaining pieces to constitute another "steak." It can be helpful to look at the underside of the cauliflower to see which way the stalks are running to inform which way you'll slice (cut with the stalks instead of against them). But it's very common for the end pieces to crumble, so just do your best to get 3 even "steaks" and slice any remaining bits into flat pieces (see photo). The little pieces are just as (if not more) delicious.
• Add 1 inch water and a steamer basket to a large pot and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add cauliflower "steaks" (and smaller cauliflower pieces), cover, and steam for 4-5 minutes to partially cook. This will soften the "steaks" to speed baking time and ensure the inside is tender when the exterior is crispy and brown. Once slightly softened, remove and set aside on a separate dish.
• In the meantime, prepare your vegan buttermilk by adding cashew or almond milk to a shallow dish (shallow and wide enough to dip the cauliflower in) and add lemon juice. Stir and set aside.
• Next, prepare the cashew coating by adding cashews, salt, cayenne pepper (optional), garlic powder, curry powder, paprika, and arrowroot starch or cornstarch to a food processor. Mix until a semi-fine meal is achieved. A little texture is okay, but you want it pretty fine so it can coat the cauliflower. Transfer 1/4 of the coating to a shallow dish (again, shallow and wide enough to dip the cauliflower in) and set aside.
• Dip the slightly steamed cauliflower "steaks" in the almond buttermilk, ensuring both sides are adequately coated. Then set back on platter (where excess will drip off) and season both sides with a pinch of salt.
• Next, dredge the cauliflower in the cashew coating until thoroughly coated, using a spoon or your hands to add more coating to any bare spots. Add more of the cashew coating to the shallow dish in batches to prevent it from getting crumbly and having trouble sticking to the cauliflower. Then transfer cauliflower "steaks" to your prepared baking sheet (with or without a cooling rack). Lastly, drizzle with a little avocado oil to help them crisp up (optional, but recommended).
• Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cauliflower "steak" is easily pierced with a knife and the exterior appears golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven to cool slightly.
• Enjoy as is or (our preferred method!) garnish serving plates with a few tablespoons of your favorite hummus (or similar sauce) and top with cauliflower "steak" and date relish (made by simply mixing chopped dates, lemon juice, and diced onion). Garnish with freshly chopped mint for a pop of color and flavor.
• Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot for best results. Not freezer friendly.

30 BEST WAYS TO COOK CAULIFLOWER

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