This grilled cauliflower dish is adapted from a recipe from the Wallace restaurant in Culver City, Calif. Owner and executive chef Michael Teich said: “The real key to this recipe is having a very hot grill and allowing the cauliflower to cook. Don’t be afraid if it begins to char — that’s what you want and where all the flavour is going to come from. Think of it as if you are grilling a steak and not a vegetable.”
It’s a superb vegetable meal, but to qualify as vegetarian, you’d have to leave out the Worcestershire sauce, which contains anchovies.
Grilled Cauliflower
Prep and cooking time: 40 minutes.
Serves: 4 to 6.
Almond bread crumbs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole raw almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Toast the bread crumbs over moderate heat in a dry skillet on the stove until golden and crisp, two to three minutes (or spread out on a rimmed baking sheet in a 325-degree oven for five minutes). Stir the bread crumbs occasionally, watching that they do not burn. In the same manner, toast the almonds until aromatic and slightly darkened, two to three minutes, or 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.
Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are reduced to the size of bread crumbs, then combine in a bowl with the bread crumbs, folding in the Parmesan cheese and parsley. This makes a scant cup of topping. Set aside.
Parmesan cream
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
In a blender, combine the creme fraiche, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, combining to a smooth cream. Set aside.
Rosemary garlic oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves grated garlic
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the oil, rosemary and garlic. Set aside.
Grilled cauliflower
1 cauliflower, cut into 4 to 5 “steaks,” keeping the core intact so they don’t fall apart on the grill
• Salt and pepper
• Rosemary garlic oil
• Parmesan cream
• Almond bread crumbs
• Fried rosemary sprigs, if desired, for garnish
• Capers, if desired, for garnish
1. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
2. Season both sides of the cauliflower “steaks” with salt and pepper, then brush with the rosemary garlic oil. Place the steaks on the grill and cook as you
would a steak, grilling until they develop a good char and begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. If the steaks are colouring too quickly and look as though they will burn, adjust the heat of the grill or move them to a cooler area to cook. Brush the steaks again and flip over, grilling the other side. The total grilling time should be 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the grill.
3. Remove the steaks and transfer to a cutting board, cutting off the florets. Place the cauliflower in a bowl and toss with the Parmesan cream and a little
more rosemary garlic oil.
4. Mound on a serving plate while still warm. Garnish with almond bread crumbs (you might not use all of them), along with fried rosemary and capers if desired. Serve at once.
Each of six servings contains: 217 calories; 8 grams protein; 11 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fibre, 16 grams fat (including 5 of saturated fat) 22 mg cholesterol; 3 grams sugar and 270 mg sodium
