Ingredients
1 large cauliflower
1/2 medium, sweet yellow onion
3 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
2/3 cup of olive oil, plus 1-3 tablespoons for searing
1 large lemon
1-1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Makes 4-6 servings
Instructions
Rinse and pat dry the cauliflower. Trim about 1/8-inch off the base, leaving the rest of the leaves and stem intact. Using a sharp knife, gently slice cauliflower into four steaks, working from the outside in. Slices will be anywhere from 1-2 inches thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer steaks to the baking sheet, cut sides up.
Finely dice onion and add it to a small bowl along with garlic, thyme, parsley and olive oil. Combine and set aside. Slice the lemon and remove any seeds. I like to take my lemon slices and cut them into half pieces so I have more to coat the cauliflower steaks. Distribute the marinade onto both sides of the steaks, using your hands, and then generously season with salt. Top with lemon slices, squeezing the wedges to extract some of the juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or longer if you can spare the time.
Preheat oven to 400° degrees.
In a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Keep pan on medium heat. Remove lemons from steaks and set aside. When oil and pan are sufficiently heated, (steaks sizzle when you place them into the pan), place two steaks into the pan and sear for at least 3 minutes per side, or until golden. If the heat is too high and your steaks brown too quickly, add a little more oil and adjust your heat. Repeat this process for all steaks.
Return to the parchment lined baking sheet and coat with any remaining marinade that may have fallen off. Add lemons back and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until you can easily pierce the thickest part with a small paring knife. Adjust seasoning and sprinkle with additional chopped parsley. *Note: These steaks can also be finished off on an outdoor grill.
HEALTH NOTES
- Fat is an important part of cooking, especially when creating full flavors in a recipe. Fat makes foods richer, creamier and when we cook without it, we can certainly tell the difference. It also helps lend color when applying techniques such as searing and sautéing. Oils such as olive oil can be a good ingredient in cooking. Just know that a mere 1 tablespoon can add 120 calories and 14 grams of fat to your recipes. If you’re watching your calories and fat intake, try olive oil sprays, non-stick or silicone cookware to keep the extra fat and calories to a minimum.