Chef Michael Symon recreates cauliflower recipe from his favorite local restaurant
Summer is around the corner and it's time for recipes that can be made outside on the grill, or inside with bold charred, flavors.
Cauliflower is one of the most searched vegetables of 2020, according to Google Trends, and with news of meat shortages and grocery prices spiking, the off-white cruciferous vegetable is a great option for the grill (or grill pan).
"GMA" resident chef Michael Symon took inspiration from one of his favorite menu items at Zhug, Doug Katz's Mediterranean restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio.
Symon said this dish is "really spectacular, even for a carnivore like myself, you get all chose big kind of meaty flavors from roasted cauliflower as you would from a grilled piece of chicken or grilled steak and even makes carnivores like me happy."
Grilled Cauliflower Steak with Pistachio Chimichurri
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small head of cauliflower
3 tablespoons Golden raisins- rehydrate in 1/4 cup hot water
1 clove Garlic, minced or grated on a microplane
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Chili flakes
Zest + juice of 1 Orange
1/4 cup toasted Pistachios
1/4 cup finely chopped Flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped Mint
2 tablespoons Salt packed or brined capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar
Directions
Set up your grill with a hot and cold side, only building the charcoal on one side. If using a gas grill, turn on only one side.
Slice the cauliflower in to 1 1/2 -inch thick steaks. You’ll get 2 steaks out of 1 head. Save any loose florets and pieces that fall off and thinly slice or shave them. Set aside.
Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the hot side of the grill to char.
In the meantime, make the chimichurri.
Add the raisins, garlic, cumin, chili flakes and orange juice and zest to a sauce pot. Add ¼ of water and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly as the raisins re hydrate. Pour into a mixing bowl.
Flip the cauliflower steaks, allowing them to char on the other side.
Finely chop the pistachios and herbs and fold into the raisin mixture along with 1/3 cup of olive oil, the capers and sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Fold any loose cauliflower florets into this mixture and allow them to marinate while the steaks finish cooking.
After the cauliflower steaks are nicely charred on both sides, move them to the indirect side of the grill to finish cooking. Place a lid on the grill to speed this process along and impart some smoky flavor into the steaks. The steaks will take about 5 minutes per side.
To serve: Place a cauliflower steak on to a plate and top with the pistachio chimichurri along with some of its juices.
