Cauliflower Steak and Butternut Squash Hummus Plate (w/ Brussels, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad)
Brussels Sprouts, butternut squash, cauliflower, cauliflower hummus, cauliflower steak, chick pea, how to make cauliflower steaks, loaded hummus, zhoug
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Cauliflower Steak and Butternut Squash Hummus Plate with Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad
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After the success of my Cauliflower Piccata recipe, I became 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 plate looks impressive, but it is actually easy to make. Prior to making the Cauliflower Steaks, you roast the butternut squash for the hummus and for the salad. While the Cauliflower Steaks cook, you make the Butternut Squash Hummus and a simple salad using the main two ingredients that make up the hummus, chickpeas and butternut squash.
To build the Cauliflower Steak and Butternut Squash Hummus Plates, you dollop a bit of the Butternut Squash 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 Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad and finish your plate with a little za’atar seasoning. That’s it!
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash Hummus
2 lb. butternut squash
1 1/2 tsp neutral flavored oil (grapeseed or avocado)
Kosher salt
black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (if using canned, you will need 2 cans total to make BOTH the hummus and the salad)
1 peeled garlic clove
1 1/2 tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4-8 oz. ice water
- Cauliflower Steaks
1 medium head of cauliflower
1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (grapeseed or avocado)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 Kosher salt
- Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad
1 cup shaved Brussels Sprouts
1/2 cup roasted butternut squash (leftover from making the butternut squash hummus)
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
Kosher salt
Za’atar seasoning, for garnish
Directions
- Roast the Butternut Squash for the Hummus and Salad: Preheat the oven to 400° (F). Peel and cut the butternut squash into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil and season with 1/2 tsp Kosher salt and a few cranks of freshly cracked black pepper. Place onto a parchment paper covered sheet pan and roast until softened and starting to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool until it can be safely handled.
- Begin Preparing the Cauliflower Steaks (Oven Method): Place a clean, dry sheet pan on the MIDDLE rack in oven and increase the temperature to 500°(F). Slice the base off the 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. These are your “steaks”. In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, turmeric, granulated garlic and salt. Rub 1 1/2 tbsp of neutral oil all over the cauliflower steaks and sprinkle with the spice/salt blend. Rub the spice/salt blend into the cauliflower steaks. (If using Air Fryer Method, skip to step 3) Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven and place the cauliflower steaks onto it. The sizzle is a good thing. Place the pan back into the oven. Cook the cauliflower steaks for 14-16 minutes total, flipping once. VERY IMPORTANT STEP: 4 minutes into the 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.
- (Air Fryer Method): Cut and season the cauliflower according to the instructions in Step 2. Air fry the cauliflower steaks at 400°(F) for 15 minutes, flipping once.
- Prepare the Hummus: When the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, add 1 1/2 cups of the roasted butternut squash to the work bowl of your food processor with 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas, the peeled garlic clove, tahini, 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil, cumin, cinnamon and 2 tbsp of ice water. Process until smooth. The mixture will likely be very thick. Add more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time until the hummus is your desired consistency. Process for 4-5 minutes to aerate the hummus and make the texture smoother.
- Prepare the Salad: Make the salad by combining the shaved Brussels sprouts, 1 cup chickpeas, and remaining 1/2 cup of roasted butternut squash in a medium bowl. Add the coarsely chopped mint and cashews and the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tbsp of seasoned rice vinegar to the bowl. Season to taste.
- Build the Plates: Once the cauliflower steaks are cool enough to handle, build the plates by dividing the hummus equally between the 2 plates, spreading the hummus into an appx. 4-inch diameter circle. Place 1 cauliflower steak on top of each plate of hummus. Divide the Brussels Sprout, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad between the plates, spooning it right on top of the cauliflower steaks. Finish each plate with a dusting of za’atar seasoning.
Sarah Faris: The salad Whisperer
Sarah is a classically trained chef and Mom whose passion is spreading the gospel of salad. A native New Yorker, she now calls Miami, FL home.
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