If you carve two thick planks from a cauliflower’s
middle, the cross-sections hold together much better than you’d think—well
enough that you can fry them up like a steak.
Dan Barber then simmers the remaining florets till soft in water and milk and blitzes them into a weightless white cloud.
Dan Barber then simmers the remaining florets till soft in water and milk and blitzes them into a weightless white cloud.
You could just make one part of this recipe or the
other, but, like a chicken-fried steak surrendering to its cream gravy, there is
something deeply appealing about slashing through your slab of cauliflower and
plunging it into the downy bed of puree. The cauliflower’s sweet, subtle flavors
are unobscured; its textures, on both ends of the spectrum, are at their best.
Barber brings together the nutty crisped edges you get from roasting and the
unearthly richness of a puree (as we learned in Paul Bertolli’s cauliflower
soup, whipping up cauliflower’s natural pectin turns it creamy
without adding any dairy).
How to serve this? The steaks work best at the
center of the plate. Add a sturdy kale salad or
serve the steaks as a first course at a dinner party before herbed salmon. Or maybe
with a nice side of cauliflower (just kidding).
Serves 2
One 1½-pound (680g) head
cauliflower
1½ cups (360ml) water
1 cup (240ml) whole
milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus
more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2 Using a sharp, heavy knife and starting at the top
center of the cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch (2.5cm) thick slices of
cauliflower, cutting through the stem end. Set the cauliflower steaks
aside.
3 Cut enough florets from the remaining cauliflower
head to measure 3 cups (300g). Combine the florets, water, and milk in a medium
saucepan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until
cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup
(240ml) of the cooking liquid.
4 Transfer the florets to a blender. Add ½ cup (120ml)
of the reserved cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Add more of the liquid,
if desired, and puree again. Return the puree to the same saucepan.
5 Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy, large
ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the cauliflower steaks with
additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower steaks to
the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the
skillet to the oven and bake the cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10
minutes.
6 Rewarm the cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide
the puree between two plates; top each with cauliflower steak and serve.
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