Darling’s exec chef Lindsay James has a foolproof method for cauliflower steak. Easy and delicious.
“I love this dish, it’s superfast to make after a busy workday and leaves me feeling nourished. Fresh, yet hearty and comforting.” –chef Lindsay James, Darling Wine Bar
| 1 head | cauliflower | |
| 1T | neutral oil | |
| 2T | butter | |
| salt | ||
| ½ bunch | parsley | |
| 1 | lemon, juiced and zested | |
| 2-3 T | olive oil | |
| Grana Padano | ||
| 3-4 | hazelnuts, peeled and toasted | |
| kosher salt and fresh- cracked black pepper |
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Remove leaves and bottom stem (roughly ½-inch) of the cauliflower. Place cauliflower stem side up and slice vertically through the centre of the stem. Trim off outer florets, leaving two 1½- inch steaks. Reserve florets for another use. Lay both pieces of cauliflower flat. Drizzle with neutral oil and salt generously.
Heat a cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, while the pan is heating, finely chop the parsley. In a small bowl add parsley, lemon juice, zest and olive oil to make the gremolata. Season with ½-t salt. Set aside. Place the cauliflower steaks oil side down into the cast iron pan. Allow to sear for 1-2 minutes then put the pan in the oven for 4 minutes to further cooking. Remove the pan from the oven and place back onto a medium burner. Flip the cauliflower over and add the butter to the pan. The butter will begin melt and foam. At this point spoon the butter all over the cauliflower steaks. Once the butter begins to brown, remove the pan from the heat and continue to spoon the butter over the cauliflower for 30 seconds.
Remove the cauliflower from the pan and put on a plate. Spoon over 2-3 T of the gremolata. Using a fine grater or a micro plane, grate a generous amount of the cheese all over the cauliflower. Next, grate over 1-2 toasted hazelnuts. Finish with black pepper.
Serves 2.