Cauliflower Steaks with Miso & Sesame Dressing

The humble Cauliflower has been having a ‘thing’ recently, and I’m not ashamed to say that I have jumped on the bandwagon with it. Whilst I’m yet to replace my pasta or rice with the ‘cauliflower’ version, I’m a fully paid up member of the ‘bake it in the oven’  brigade. Because, as I have discovered, a brassic oven baked, is a most delicious thing  and can be entirely devoured in one sitting.

Brassicas, the family of vegetables that we once loved to hate. Cabbages, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts to name just a few….. and cauliflower. Pretty, white & bland cauliflower. 

Cauliflower used to be much maligned as a boring, watery vegetable, mostly because the cauli we grew up with was boiled to death and then smothered in lumpy cheese sauce or served as a pathetic grey mush as part of a roast dinner. ewwwwww. I remember eating cauliflower raw as a child and wondering why, if it was so nice raw, that we had to eat it mushily cooked.

Fortunately, times have changed. The powers of  t’interwebs, especially Pinterest have allowed us to share great ideas (and some not so inspired ideas) such as, that oven baking cauliflower with some herbs & spices and oil until it turns golden and a bit crispy is FREEEKING DELICIOUS !!!!  

I’ve done a post before on oven baked cauli.. you can find it here..

But this time, I had a huge craving for Japanese food.. specifically Aubergine with Miso, which is one of my favourite Japanese dishes, but A) It’s not aubergine season and B) I really needed to use up a cauliflower I’d bought. So, as we all know, necessity is the mother of invention. Or, in my case, greed and guilt. I can’t and won’t waste food. But I WANTED that miso dressing. So, this came about. And it was delicious. 

Thank me after you’ve made it…. ‘

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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Miso Dressing

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

 

Servings: 2

Author: Louise-Claire Cayzer

Ingredients

• 1 small Cauliflower
• Olive oil (or other oil- like coconut or rapeseed)
• A smidge of salt & pepper

For the Dressing

• 1 Tsp white miso
• 1 Tsp Mirin or white wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar - I like organic unprocessed brown sugar or honey
• 2 Tbs lemon juice- approx half a lemon
• Toasted sesame seeds to serve

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 / 220C
2. Slice the cauliflower into 1/2" / 2.5cm slices
3. Lay the slices onto an oven pan. There will be bits left that aren't cauliflower steak shape- chuck them in too. You will want them! Slick them all with the oil and some salt & pepper.
4. Lay all the cauli pieces on an oven proof tray & pop them in the oven.
5. Turn them over after about 10- 12 mins- you want them to have a nice bit of browney- blacky crisp on them, this is what makes them yummy and delicious.
6. Whilst you're cooking the cauliflower, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth.
7. Serve the Cauli drizzled with the dressing and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.