“Vegetables Illustrated” is the latest cookbook from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, and it includes over 700 recipes featuring 70 different vegetables! Our San Diego Union Tribune plucked this recipe from the hundreds to showcase the new book, so I had little doubt it would be a winner. Thick “steaks” of cauliflower are baked in a very hot oven, briefly in foil, and then roasted until browned. While still hot they are brushed with an Italian-style salsa verde which soaks in and flavors them with the wonderful combination of parsley, mint, capers, olive oil and white wine vinegar. This both looks and tastes delicious.
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 Tbs. water
1 1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 Tbs. capers, rinsed
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
2 heads cauliflower (2 pounds each), cut into 1 1/2 -inch thick slabs
Lemon wedges
Adjust the oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Pulse parsley, mint, 1/4 cup oil, water, vinegar, capers, garlic and 1/8 tsp. salt in a food processor until mixture is finely chopped but not smooth, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer salsa verde to small bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
Place slabs of cauliflower on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper and rub to distribute. Flip slabs and repeat with remaining 2 Tbs. oil, salt and pepper.
Cover baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 5 minutes. Remove foil and roast until bottoms of steaks are well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently flip steaks and continue to roast until tender and second sides are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer steaks to a platter and brush evenly with 1/4 cup salsa verde. Serve with lemon wedges, passing remaining salsa verde separately. Serves 4.
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