Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F with a large heavy baking tray inside it. Give it a full 15 minutes.

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2. Stand each cauliflower on its stem and cut straight down through the core into 2.5 cm slabs. You will get two good steaks from the middle of each; keep the loose florets from the outsides.

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3. Brush the steaks and the loose florets all over with the oil and season with the salt, pepper, paprika and cumin.

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4. Pull the hot tray out and lay everything on it in a single layer — it should hiss loudly. Roast 20 minutes without moving anything.

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5. Turn the steaks carefully with a fish slice and roast 12 to 15 minutes more, until both faces are deeply browned and a knife slides into the stem without resistance.

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6. Meanwhile blitz the parsley, mint, capers, garlic, vinegar, mustard, oil and salt to a loose, spoonable sauce. Do not over-blend it to a purée; it should stay flecked.

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7. Spoon the salsa verde over the hot steaks and scatter with almonds and pomegranate seeds.

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Chef’s Tips

• Preheat the tray. This is the whole difference between roasted and steamed.
• Cut through the core, never across it.
• Do not crowd the tray. Two trays are better than one crowded one, always.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Warm flatbread
• Giant couscous
• A glass of dry rosé

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat 8 minutes at 220°C; the microwave undoes all the work.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.