Loaded Cauliflower Steak Hummus Plate
Course: Main2
servings
After realizing that my Cauliflower Piccata recipe was a home run, I’ve become obsessed with Cauliflower Steaks. Besides being delicious, they are visually stunning and substantial enough to anchor an entire meal around. I love brainstorming ways to make Cauliflower Steaks shine and lately have been enjoying them as the centerpiece to a loaded hummus plate.
Follow my method below and you will be handsomely rewarded. The trick to perfect Cauliflower Steaks is pre-heating the pan you will roast them on, and cracking the oven door occasionally to let out some steam (otherwise your Cauliflower Steaks will be soggy and um, smell like farts).
This Cauliflower Steak Loaded Hummus Plate looks impressive, but is so easy to make. While the cauliflower steaks cook, you make a simple salad featuring chickpeas, tomatoes, shaved fennel and zhoug. Zhoug is a sauce that originates from Yemen, has become very popular throughout the Middle East, and is making its way stateside (Trader Joe’s sells a version now!). It is bright and tangy, as it contains lots of cilantro, parsley and green jalapeño for heat.
To build the Cauliflower Steak Loaded Hummus Plates, you dollop a bit of hummus on the plate, then spread it into a circular base upon which you will place your cauliflower steak. Top the cauliflower steaks with your chickpea salad and finish your plate with a little za’atar seasoning. That’s it!
Ingredients
- Cauliflower Steaks
2 medium heads cauliflower
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp seasoned salt
- Chickpea Salad
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup shaved fennel
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 tbsp zhoug (recipe below or store-bought)
- Zhoug (recipe makes appx. 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
1 1/2 cups Italian (flat leaf) parsley leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 jalapeños, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar (Seasoned rice wine vinegar has a little sugar added to it. If using plain rice wine vinegar, you may want to add 2 tsp honey to balance out the flavors in the sauce.)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
- Additional Platter Ingredients
1 cup hummus
Za’atar seasoning
fresh herbs, for garnish (optional)
Kosher salt
black pepper
Directions
- Place a sheet pan on MIDDLE rack in oven and preheat to 500 degrees(F). Slice base off each cauliflower and cut away any pieces that aren’t connected to stem end (save them for roasting another day). Slice the remaining slab of cauliflower vertically into two, 1 inch thick slabs. Rub olive oil onto cut sides and sprinkle with seasoned salt and Parmesan.
- Once oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan and place cauliflower onto it. Place pan back into oven. Cook cauliflower steaks for 14-16 minutes total, flipping once. VERY IMPORTANT STEP: 4 minutes into cook time on each side, carefully crack open oven door just long enough to release any steam that has built up in oven. This ensures that cauliflower steaks cook primarily via searing instead of steaming.
- Make Zhoug: In a food processor, process garlic, jalapeño and vinegar until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Add the cilantro, parsley, spices, oil, salt and pepper to the work bowl and blend until the mixture is homogenized, but still a little chunky. (You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.)
- In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, tomato, shaved fennel and zhoug. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Once cauliflower steaks are cool enough to handle, build plates by dividing hummus equally between the 2 plates and spreading into a 4-5 inch diameter circle. Place 1 cauliflower steak on top of each plate of hummus. Divide chickpea salad between plates, spooning right on top of the cauliflower steaks. Finish each plate with a dusting of za’atar seasoning.
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