Possibly The Best Vegetarian Cauliflower Steak

I am a huge fan of eating vegetables but sometimes I run out of ideas on how to prepare them in a new way that isn't something I already cook on a regular basis. When I feel I need some creative ideas, I will look through my cookbooks. I had totally forgotten about my favorite vegetable book.

Inside this cookbook there is this amazing cauliflower steak recipe. Thick pieces of cauliflower is topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, cheese and some briny condiments. The ingredient list seems long but you can pick and omit some of the ingredients you can't find. You want to make sure you have at least one pickled or brined item. This recipe can be assembled ahead of time and when you are ready, just pop it into the oven to reheat. Let's get started.

Recipe

adapted from Six Seasons
Serves 2 as a main dish

• 1 large head cauliflower
• olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp capers, coarsely chopped
• 3 pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/4 cup tear drop peppers, sliced in half
• 4 peppadews, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Cut the cauliflower into 3 or 4 thick pieces. Rub the cauliflower with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cauliflower onto a greased sheet pan and place into a preheated 400 degree F oven. Roast the cauliflower until tender. About 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the topping. Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the onions until they are translucent. Add in the mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are done. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly divide the topping amongst the cauliflower steaks.

Place the breadcrumbs into a small bowl and lightly moisten the breadcrumbs with some olive oil. Sprinkle over the topping. Place the cauliflower steaks into the oven and bake until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. For an added kick, I served my cauliflower steak with some spicy mayonnaise. I mixed some harissa with mayonnaise and added a splash of lemon juice.
This cauliflower is so flavorful because of all the different condiments. It's spicy, sweet and sour. This dish is sure to satisfy any carnivore. Enjoy!