Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”
9:15 AM
There was a time when I actually didn't like cauliflower and was missing out on some of the best stuff on earth. It comes right next to my favorite dark chocolate bar dipped in raw almond butter. Yes, cauliflower, especially roasted cauliflower, is that good and these blackened steaks are proof!
The cauliflower is the center of attention here. Most of the flavor is in the blackened seasoning so I paired this with a simple, yet delightful, combination of roasted grape tomatoes and bell peppers along with some quinoa as my grain of choice. Quinoa with everything around here, I just love it! Now back to point.... The tomatoes and bell peppers have enough flavor on their own that I just simply added a smidge of himalayan salt and that was that. The entire dish came together very easy without anything complicated creating a simple and casual meal...my favorite kind. And don't forget your steak knife...it will come in handy for your cauliflower steaks!
I roasted my bell peppers in the broiler while the cauliflower and tomatoes were roasting. Be sure to check on them every ten minutes to turn. My disclaimer: I've never heard of anyone roasting in the broiler while cooking in the oven but it worked here saving a whole extra step. Have you ever done this? Depending on what stage you put your food in you may get slightly different results. The ones shown above were done after I put in the cauliflower so the flame was going on and off to keep the oven warm but they still charred and roasted nicely. This morning I tested another batch while the oven was heating and the result was much more evenly charred with the flame on full time heating up the oven. Both were cooked for the same amount of time, about 25 minutes. Either way you will have nicely roasted bell peppers. They were soft, flavorful and delicious! For timing purposes I have suggested starting to roast your bell peppers while the oven is heating in this recipe so they have time to cool and be prepared.
As for the 'steak' seasoning, feel free to use an already prepared seasoning. There are many good ones in the spice isle these days all bottled up and ready to use. I would suggest looking for salt free ones if possible and adding your own salt to taste. Look for creole, cajun, blackening types of seasonings. It is also very easy to make your own so I have included a homemade version for those who prefer to prepare their own spice blends. Something for everyone, that's a win, win!
Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- blackened, creole or cajun seasoning of choice (recipe for homemade below)
- couple tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 medium bell peppers
- couple tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- himalayan salt and cracked pepper, to taste
- grain of choice...quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc.
- lemon wedges to garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the bell peppers, start roasting them in the broiler while the oven is heating (as mentioned above). Place your bell peppers in the broiler and be sure to turn them every 10 minutes or so until charred and tender, about 25 minutes. Once done, let cool a few minutes, remove stem, cut in half, remove remaining seeds and gently peel and remove the charred skin. Julienne the bell peppers by slicing lengthwise and chop further for smaller pieces if you like. Keep warm by the oven until the cauliflower is ready. You may want to wrap them in foil to keep warm.
Next, start preparing the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower stem side down, and using a sharp knife cut into the top center slicing the cauliflower in half. You want to create as many cauliflower steaks as you can from the center cut out that will be at least 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. The remaining sides and pieces can be cut into florets and roasted alongside the steaks or on a separate baking sheet. I feel it's best to use two baking sheets to prepare this meal. Using two will give you plenty of room for the steak slices to be turned over without too much crowding.
Grease your baking sheet/s and carefully place your cauliflower steaks along with the broken florets, or place the florets on a separate baking sheet. Using an oil brush, gently brush the steaks and florets with oil. Sprinkle as much seasoning as you wish to coat on steaks and florets (you may like a heavy coat or a light coat). Add your tomatoes to the baking sheet, you can coat these with oil too if you like and add a sprinkle of sea salt.
Place your baking sheet into the oven, or if using two, place sheets on separate racks or side by side depending on the size. Bake for 15 minutes, flip steaks and stir florets, season again and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve immediately with roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, grain of choice, sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
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Making your own seasoning is so easy. If you have all the ingredients already hand, I especially recommend you make your own using an old spice jar or small container of choice.
Blackened Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard
Place ingredients into small jar or container and blend well. Store leftovers in the pantry for later use. Makes just under 2/3 cups.
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Enjoy this blackened cauliflower often!
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