Hearty roasted cauliflower steaks served with a piquant Meyer lemon relish made with shallots and fresh herbs. Jump to recipe.
Oh, January.
Brian contends that this blog is as much about the weather as it is about food. I could talk about weather for days, but I try not to indulge too often for fear I’ll bore you. These days though, the chill of winter is inescapable. (Except on the west coast, where it’s apparently summer?) But out here in the east, this winter weather feels right. I want to earn the spring and summer, to make the most of the contrasts and changing seasons. And earning it we are, with highs in the teens and lows in the single digits, we are all getting an education in cold.
All in all, it’s a very good time to have the oven on; twisting the knob is the first essential step for just about everything we make lately. But these cauliflower steaks are more than an excuse to warm things up, they’re also part of a plan.
For better or worse, healthy winter eating requires forethought. Tough winter squash, brassicas, and root vegetables must all be roasted or boiled or massaged into life. With this in mind, I’m doing my best to accomplish some of this work ahead of time, so that when hunger strikes I have something besides handfuls of chocolate chips to eat.
Cauliflower steaks are a funny thing, because, truth be told, even the largest head of cauliflower only yields three or four. Even so, it’s nice to have a big hunk of perfectly roasted cauliflower on your plate. I’ve made this recipe twice – first with a bright and delicious Meyer lemon relish, which kind of stole my heart. And second, as the base for a rich tomato sauce with pork shoulder and olives. It was pretty fantastic both ways, so do whatever best suits your tastes. I’d also put a vote in for pesto.
Hearty roasted cauliflower steaks served with a piquant Meyer lemon relish made with shallots and fresh herbs.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large-ish head of cauliflower
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Meyer lemon , sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 Meyer lemon , minced (peel and all)
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
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Trim the very base of the cauliflower, leaving stem intact. Trim any leaves as well. Using a long, sharp chef’s knife, cut cauliflower into 1/2-inch thick slices.
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Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Set cauliflower slices in oil, and carefully turn to coat. Sprinkle each side with sea salt and pepper. Toss in Meyer lemon slices.
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Roast 20 minutes. Use a large spatula to turn cauliflower steaks, and then roast another 10 - 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and edges have browned nicely.
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Meanwhile, make Meyer lemon relish by using a fork to combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
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Toss warm cauliflower with relish and serve. As is, this is a great side or light lunch. Add a little goat cheese or crusty bread for something main dish-worthy.
I think I talk too much about the weather myself. It HAS been summer here on the West Coast, literally up until today, we’ve getting the first rain we’ve had all winter.
This looks delicious! I’ve made sure to always have at least one head of cauliflower in my ‘fridge, and I’ve got a source for meyer lemons, definitely planning to try it out!
Hi Joyti, I used to live in san Diego, and remember the monotony of endless sunny days and how dry and dusty everything got. Hoping CA sees some solid rains before the actual summer begins. I hope you get to give the recipe a try — thanks so much for dropping by.
I find I’m always talking about the weather too. This looks awesome!
Hi Katrina, You’re definitely not alone on that one. And thanks!
I definitely think of roasted cauliflower as winter food, but these photos are so delightfully cheery! I really like the idea of the tart lemon with the cauliflower. I usually stick with just garlic and olive oil, but it would be a nice change to try something new!
Hi Marie, Happy to bring a little cheer to winter vegetables. Your standby with olive oil and garlic sounds wonderful!
I’m getting a little bored with the weather, but never your posts! GORGEOUS cauliflower. I think I’ll put this on the menu tonight.
Hi Gail, You are so nice! Thanks for the kind words.
This look insanely good! I bet that relish is so tasty on the roasted cauliflower. i fear I’m talking about the weather too much, as well, but it’s the most wintery winter we’ve had in years. I’m loving it, though.
Hi Nicole! I do love the snow, but I might be ready to move on to green things and sunny days. I can’t imagine how much snow must be piled up in your part of the world!!!
Elizabeth, this is just gorgeous! I’ve seen cauliflower used this way and have been wanting to try it! Your recipe sounds amazing with that Meyer Lemon Relish…I’d eat that with a spoon all by itself!
Hi Caroline, Thank you so much! And yes, I think the relish would be great with all kinds of dishes.
This winter has been driving me toward the chocolate chip bag in the weak moments, not gonna lie. It’s just been SO cold and unrelenting here. All of our meals include some oven time as well because roasting is always our jam, but also because it warms up a crucial pocket of the house. This relish sounds wonderful! And I have all the ingredients for it. Plus cauliflower too I think. Can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Oh Laura, I think of you often way up there. I know our winter is *nothing* compared to what’s going on up north. And yes, the oven has to be incorporated in the dinner plan for essential warmth. Here’s to warmer days ahead (with roasted vegetables until then).
Looks amazing — making this tonight as a side with chicken. Thanks!
Hi Lauren, I think this would be wonderful with chicken. Enjoy!
Haven’t tried roasting cauliflower yet but I can see how it would be super tasty … and with lemon – yum!
Hi Helen, Even when it’s not in steak form, roasted cauliflower is a favorite over here. I love the hint of smokiness roasting lends.
I’m happy to have found your blog because this recipe totally rules! Love the taste of lemon you added in here.
Hi Pamela, I’m glad you found us too! Thanks for the nice comment!
I love talking about the weather! I mean adds cadence to our everyday lives. I’ve only recently become a fan of cauliflower and this is one of those recipes I’m dying to try!
Hi Kasey, I totally agree. Weather and food are things we all have in common.
Pork shoulder? WHY?
Hi Candace, It sounds like you’re a vegetarian? We have lots of vegetarian recipes on the blog, but that’s not exclusively what we do –– our focus is on eating local, seasonal foods (when possible). Thanks for checking out Brooklyn Supper.
Hi, I have been working as a chef for the last 13yrs, and this recipe by far one of the best cauliflwer recipe’s I have come across, magnifique!!!
I am a chef, food photographer and have just recently started blogging as well, my website is http://www.saltandtamarind.net/.
Thank you for the recipe.Very nice photos as well.
Hi Deepu, That’s great to hear. Thanks for checking out the recipe, and best wishes as you launch your site.
Cauliflower has been one of my favorites since i was young. I love the lemon! I am glad i found your site. We farm in California, the weather is always the topic of conversation. We are Happy Farmers today. It is Raining.
Hi Lesley, I hope you guys get some more rain soon. I can’t imagine how tough things are out there right now. Thinking of you and your farm, and hoping for lots of gentle rain storms, and more happy farmers, over the coming weeks.
I am looking forward to making this recipe. The only thing that I will change is using coconut oil instead of olive oil. Olive oil goes rancid when heated and cooked with and coconut oil used at medium low heat keeps well and tastes delicious.
Hi Jennifer, Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Coconut oil sounds like a wonderful addition. I’ve read up a bit on the whole olive oil smoke point thing, and there’s a lot of conflicting information. We cook with extra virgin olive oil which has a much higher smoke point than the regular kind. Enjoy the recipe!
Yum! Served it over farro for a complete dinner. Finished with a bit more olive oil. This was just the right amount for 2 hearty dinners. From Sonoma, CA.
So I just made this not really being a cauliflower fan, and wow was it good! I also added a little shredded beetroot at the last moment, but not much. Definitely will be making this again. Thanks for the recipe and for making me enjoy cauliflower in a new way!
I’m not a big fan of cauliflower…but this looks delicious. Gonna try this one.
Hi, I saw your recipe on Pinterest. It will be on the menu tonight. I don’t know what a Meyer lemon is, we don’t have them in the Netherlands. Lemons are just lemons, right? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lilian,
Thanks for checking out the post! Meyer lemons are a different variety of lemon. They have a thinner skin and slightly sweeter flesh. Think of them as a cross between an orange and a lemon. I think plain lemons will be fine, though because the white pith of a regular lemon is thicker and more bitter than a Meyer lemon, you may want to remove some or all of the pith. I’d do this by using a peeler to remove the zest, then use a paring knife to remove the pith, and then mincing the lemon flesh. You might also want to try a mix of citrus –– maybe half a lemon and half of a sweeter variety of orange.
I made a variation of these for lunch yesterday and they were delicious! I will definitely be linking these on my blog tomorrow. What a great idea!