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Published May 6th, 2015
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Culinary Creations with Cauliflower
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| By Susie Iventosch |
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| Cauliflower three ways: as steaks, rice or roasted florets. Photos Susie Iventosch |
It was brought to my attention last week that cauliflower steaks are delicious, and they make a great platform for all sorts of different toppings. So, I thought out loud, how in the heck do you make a cauliflower steak? The answer is: You can, but only sort of. The idea is great, and in theory it works well, but it totally depends upon keeping the stem in the cauliflower, and then making your slices very carefully. You only want to remove the leaves and the very bottom of the stem, otherwise, your cauliflower will fall apart into so many florets and you'll be left with mini-steaks!
But the dish is really delicious, and while you can add all sorts of toppings from your favorite cheese to tomatoes, olives and even pesto, I really love them done simply, brushed with a little olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and a light sprinkling of grated Parmesan. It's also quite nice to use the purple and yellow cauliflower to add a splash of color to the plate.
Cauliflower rice is another dish I learned about, but it doesn't have a speck of real rice in it at all. Instead, you process the cauliflower in the food processor until it resembles rice, or rather, bulgur. Then you sauté it along with onions and whatever herbs and spices you like and serve it in place of rice. This is great for folks who are on low carbohydrate diets. This vegetable is said to help with cardiovascular and digestive health and contains anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And, it's rich in nutrients.
For more information about cauliflower, visit:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13
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Roasted Cauliflower "Steaks"
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| By Susie Iventosch |
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(Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
1 large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt
Pepper
Lemon pepper
DIRECTIONS
Remove leaves from cauliflower and slice off the very end of the stem, leaving most of the stem intact. Place cauliflower on cutting board, stem side down. With a large knife, slice cauliflower into four steaks, starting at the top of the cauliflower with slices about 3/4-inch thick. Reserve any florets that fall off in the process.
Lay "steaks" flat on sprayed or lightly oiled baking tray and lightly brush with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper and sprinkle Parmesan over the top. You will inevitably have some florets fall off, but don't worry, just oil and season them, and bake alongside the steaks!
Bake at 425 F for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until tops are beginning to brown and cauliflower is cooked to desired doneness.
Serve alone or with whatever toppings your imagination conjures up! This makes a great vegetarian entrée or an excellent side dish to grilled meats.
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Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
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| By Susie Iventosch |
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INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower, processed in the food processor to rice or bulgur-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil (or oil of your choice)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a frying pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion over medium heat until translucent. Add cauliflower and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until edges are just browning and cauliflower is cooked. This takes about 5 minutes! Season to taste and serve as a side dish in place of rice, potatoes or pasta.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA