Adventures in food land: cauliflower

Monday, April 11, 2011

Meatless Monday - Cauliflower Steaks and Bulgar Pilaf

I saw a recipe for Cauliflower steaks last week in the newspaper, I'd never heard of such a thing, but a little poking around on the Internet shows I must really be behind the times. There are many recipes for this, read a few and make it your own, that's what I did.

Ingredients:
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
1 medium Cauliflower
Pinch of kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Grated Pecorino Romano
1 cup bulgar wheat
Red pepper - diced
Onion diced/sliced

3 cloves garlic sliced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250F degrees.

Place bulgar in a bowl, cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate.

Add 1 tsp EVOO to a pan over medium high heat.

Add the vegetables and saute until tender crisp.

Drain the bulgar well and add to the vegetable mixture.

Toss together, and turn heat as low as it goes, while preparing the cauliflower give the pilaf a stir now and then.

Cut two 3/4" steaks from the center of a head of cauliflower including the stem. Trim off any leaves or nasty bits. Reserve the rest for another use.

In a skillet, heat up 1 1/2 tsp oil over medium-high heat.

Lightly brush on side of cauliflower with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add the cauliflower steaks, seasoned side down, while first side is cooking, repeat the oil, salt and pepper on the unseasoned side.

Press it down with your spatula to get a good sear.

Turn and sear the other side.

Remove from heat and place on a baking sheet.

Top with grated Pecorino Romano put in oven and bake for 9 minutes.

After 9 minutes turn oven from bake to broil and broil until cheese is bubbling.

While cauliflower is finishing up, increase pilaf heat to medium and toss again.

Plate and serve!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
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Monday, January 17, 2011

Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato on Lentil Stew

Another meatless Monday. I love lentils and they make a nice base. Add a scoop of sweet oven roasted cauliflower and sweet potato, a slab of homemade bread, and no one will miss the animal protein.

The stew is very adaptable - what do you have in the crisper?

Here's what I have:

Lentils
Cauliflower
Yellow pepper
Carrot
Celery
Garlic
Yellow onion
Sweet potato
Grape Tomatoes

You'll also need some:
olive oil,
Salt & Pepper
Some herbs (I used rosemary)
4 cups of liquid. If you want this to be vegan you could use vegetable stock or even water. I used chicken broth.

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Break down the vegetables with your favorite knife. I enjoy this, it is somewhat Zen for me.

Put a little extra virgin olive oil (or whatever you have) in big pot. Add the vegetables except for the sweet potato and cauliflower (they will go in the oven) and the garlic.

Add a generous pinch of salt.

Cook stirring often until the onions are translucent and the fragrant.

Add the garlic.

I found some mushrooms so I put them in too.

Add the lentils.

Add 4 cups of liquid and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender - about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile...

Add about 1/3 cup (or less) of olive oil to a oven safe pan.
Add the cauliflower and sweet potatoes, a pinch of salt and the rosemary.

Toss to coat.

Put in the oven and roast, turn using a spatula or give them a good shake every 10 minutes or so. You're looking for a little browning on the edges and for the vegetables to be tender - about 35-40 minutes.

I was digging in the crisper and also found some spinach that needed to be used. Let's up the nutritional value!