Last night I used the other half – the middle half – of the cauliflower head that went into cauliflower curry earlier in the week. I had saved these two vertical slices from the middle to try vegan cauliflower steaks, something I first saw on Working Class Foodies (new fav, you must watch them all). I pan fried them this time, but am looking forward to putting them on the grill when we fire it up for the season.

Cauliflower steaks look very dramatic and have a satisfying, filling texture. On their own they do not have a strong flavor, giving you the opportunity to season them however you like. Since I’m so excited about grilling season, I went with a smoky profile for this incredibly easy dish.

I had some alder wood smoked sea salt that I found in the bulk section of Town & Country market on Bainbridge Island. If your local grocery isn’t quite so comprehensive (they have an entire floor of bulk foods), you can order it from Libertine Tacoma and get the most delightful packaging at the same time. And trust me: this is not the only recipe you’ll use it in…

Ingredients

• 2 vertical slices from the middle of a cauliflower head, .75 inches wide
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• .5 tsp smoked paprika
• .5 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• .5 tsp alder wood smoked sea salt

Instructions

1. Mix the spices and oil into a marinade and spread over both sides of your cauliflower steaks. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. Preheat your oven to 300°.
3. Pan fry over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, until you get some lovely brown caramelization (but not burning).
4. If you have a pan that can transfer into the oven, pop it right in for another 10 minutes to finish cooking through, flipping once. Transfer to a casserole or baking sheet if your pan isn’t oven-ready.
5. Serve immediately.

Frequently you’ll see people serve cauliflower steaks with a cauliflower puree or mashed cauliflower on the side to use the remainder of the head. Something to try next time as I’m getting to know this beautiful and nutritionally dense vegetable.

What’s your favorite cauliflower recipe? I’d love to try it!