You will have more than enough of the cauliflower purée and the salsa. Use the leftovers as a dip or swirl into vegetable soups.
Recipe information
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
Salsa
⅓
¼
2
1
3
1
1
1
Cauliflower and Assembly
1
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
Preparation
Salsa
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 7–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 425° for roasting cauliflower.
Step 2
Heat oil and capers in a small saucepan over medium, swirling often, until capers burst and are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour oil and capers into a small heatproof bowl; let cool.
Step 3
Mix in walnuts, chile, parsley, currants, vinegar, and lemon zest; season with salt.
Step 4
Do Ahead: Salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic, pressing directly onto surface and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Cauliflower and Assembly
Step 5
Remove only the toughest outer leaves from cauliflower (leave on any tender inner leaves). Trim stem to create a flat base. Resting cauliflower on stem, cut in half from top to bottom, creating two lobes with stem attached. Trim outer rounded edge of each piece to create two 1½"-thick "steaks" (the stem should hold the florets together); set steaks aside. Very coarsely chop remaining florets.
Step 6
Cook florets in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, 6–8 minutes. Drain well, then process in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and 1 Tbsp. water until smooth; season with salt. Set aside.
Step 7
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add butter and swirl until melted, then add cauliflower steaks, oregano, and lemon zest. Cook, gently lifting up cauliflower occasionally to let hot fat run underneath, until steaks are deep golden brown (if oregano or lemon start to burn, place on top of steaks). Turn steaks and season with salt. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until cauliflower stems are fork-tender, 10–15 minutes.
Step 8
To serve, spoon about ⅓ cup cauliflower purée onto plates and place steaks on top. Spoon salsa over and sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Step 9
Do Ahead: Purée can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic, pressing directly onto surface, and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate Cauliflower Steaks and Purée With Walnut-Caper Salsa?
Leave a Review
Reviews (41)
Back to TopThis was absolutely delicious! My only issue is the fat content. Is there any way to recreate this with less fat?
Anonymous
New York
3/14/2024
Delicious although the cauli steaks are mega spitty to fry. The thin strips of zest went crispy and brown but were tasty and I’d do more, deliberately a bit too charred, next time.
Jude
Dorset
2/19/2024
As others have mentioned , if you make salsa and cauliflower puree ahead of time the final dish comes together quite well. I warmed my prepped puree and salad before plating cooked cauliflower. The taste was definitely restaurant quality snd my meat loving husband really enjoyed it.
Monse
Port Kembla, Australia
2/3/2023
Takes a bit of planning ahead (or delaying dinner) but the result is so worth the effort.
Julie
Canada
11/23/2022
So so delicious! My boyfriend normally hates cauliflower but he really loved this dish! He said that this dish made him appreciate cauliflower. The salsa really brings everything together, and the puree is also really nice. Definitely will make again.
Anonymous
4/13/2021
I love you rick <3
ricksbiggestfan
4/11/2021
I've made this recipe now multiple times, I think my wife is addicted. Very well balanced and easy to prepare. I would say any experienced home cook could make this in a snap and wow guests.
James Boreson
Seattle WA
2/26/2021