Tired of always eating cauliflower that is too soft and unappetizing? Maybe it's time for you to adopt a new method for cooking fresh cauliflower! Since the cauliflower flavor is not very strong, you can roast it in the oven to enrich the taste. If you have limited time but still want a plate of fat-free cauliflower, try boiling the cauliflower until it's soft or steaming it in the microwave. If you want to serve cauliflower as a main dish, try cutting it thicker and then grilling it on the grill until it is soft. Voila, healthy cauliflower steak is ready to eat!
Ingredients
Boiling Cauliflower Buds
- 1 head of cauliflower, wash thoroughly
- About 1 liter of water to soak the cauliflower
- Salt and pepper to taste
For: 4 servings
Steaming Cauliflower in the Microwave
- 1 head of cauliflower, wash thoroughly
- 2-3 tbsp. water
- Salt and pepper to taste
For: 6 servings
Baking Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
- 1 head of cauliflower, wash thoroughly
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 50 grams of grated Parmesan Cheese
- Coarse grained salt and ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. (0.5 grams) garlic powder
For: 6 servings
Making Cauliflower Steak
- 2 heads of cauliflower, wash thoroughly
- 1 tsp. (5.5 grams) sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. (0.5 grams) ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. (1 gram) garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. (1 gram) smoked paprika powder
- 60 ml olive oil
For: 4 servings
Step
Method 1 of 4: Boiling Cauliflower Buds
Step 1. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into small enough size and easy to eat
Place the cleaned cauliflower on a cutting board and cut it in half. Arrange each piece on a cutting board and split it back in half vertically. Then, cut the base of each piece of cauliflower until all the florets are removed. Transfer the cauliflower florets to a bowl.
Repeat the process for the remaining cauliflower pieces
Tip:
If you want to boil 1 whole cauliflower, first peel the leafy outer petals, then add the cauliflower to the pot. Boil the whole cauliflower for 10 minutes or until it is completely soft in texture.
Step 2. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat
First, fill 3/4 of a medium-sized pot with water, then place the pot on the stove. Then, cover the pot and turn on the stove until the water boils completely.
To keep the cauliflower flavor from being bland, boil the cauliflower in chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of plain water
Step 3. Put the cauliflower in the pot and boil for 5 to 7 minutes
Wear special oven mitts to unscrew the pot and place the cauliflower in the boiling water. Boil the cauliflower without covering the pan until it is as soft as you want it to be.
If you're going to mash the cauliflower later, boil the cauliflower until it's really soft when pierced with a fork
Step 4. Drain the ripe cauliflower with the help of a slotted basket
Place a slotted basket or small slotted strainer over the sink and slowly pour the entire contents of the pot into it. Be careful because the steam escaping from the pot will be very hot!
Step 5. Season the boiled cauliflower with salt and pepper
Transfer the cauliflower to a serving plate, then quickly season it with salt and pepper or butter to taste. Leftover cauliflower can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Method 2 of 4: Microwave Steaming Cauliflower
Step 1. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into several easy-to-eat buds
With a very sharp knife, cut the cleaned cauliflower. Then, place each piece of cauliflower on a cutting board, and split it back in half vertically. After that, cut off each base of the cauliflower until all the florets come off. Place the cauliflower florets in a separate bowl.
- The cauliflower florets should come off easily when the base is cut off.
- Place the cauliflower in a heatproof bowl that is safe to use in the microwave.
Step 2. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of water into the bowl, then cover the bowl not too tightly
Add enough water to the bowl with the cauliflower florets, then cover the surface of the bowl with plastic wrap, wax paper, or wet paper towels loosely to trap the hot steam that builds up while the cauliflower is steaming.
If you want, you can also cover the surface of the bowl with a wide plate that is heat-resistant and safe to use in the microwave
Step 3. Steam the cauliflower for 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave
If you don't like a too soft texture, just steam the cauliflower for 3 minutes. However, if you prefer a very soft texture, steam the cauliflower for 4 minutes.
Steam cauliflower at maximum strength
Step 4. Leave the cooked cauliflower in the microwave for 1 minute
During this time, the cauliflower cooking process will continue. After 1 minute, put on special oven mitts to remove the very hot bowl and open the lid. Then, pierce the cauliflower with a fork to check for tenderness.
- Since the steam coming out will be very hot, keep your face away from the direction the steam is coming out of when you open the lid.
- If the cauliflower is not yet soft enough, cover the bowl and return to the microwave. Steam the cauliflower again for 1 minute, then check again for softness.
Step 5. Drain any remaining water at the bottom of the bowl
Most likely, there is still some water remaining at the bottom of the bowl. To drain it, you can directly pour the contents of the bowl into a small slotted strainer that is placed above the sink.
Step 6. Season the cauliflower
Place the drained cauliflower back in the bowl, then sprinkle the surface with salt and pepper. To enrich the taste, also add a little olive oil or butter, then stir all the spices while the cauliflower is still hot. If you want, you can also pour a little warm cheese sauce over the top of the cauliflower.
Store leftover cauliflower in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Method 3 of 4: Baking Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 204°C and grease a baking sheet with oil
Spray the surface of a ridged baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with aluminum foil. If you don't have a flat pan, you can also use a deeper, larger pan.
Step 2. Cut 1 head of cauliflower until all the florets come off
After cleaning, cut the cauliflower in half vertically. Then, place the two cauliflower pieces on a cutting board horizontally, and split them back into two equal parts vertically. After that, cut the base of the cauliflower so that all the florets are removed. Transfer the cauliflower florets to a bowl.
Repeat the process for each piece of cauliflower
Step 3. Season the cauliflower florets with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder
Pour 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil into a bowl of cauliflower florets. Then, add 1/4 tsp. (0.5 grams) garlic powder, as well as salt and pepper to taste to enrich the cauliflower taste.
It's best not to use whole garlic, which is prone to scorching when roasted
Step 4. Arrange the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes
Make sure the cauliflower buds don't overlap each other before placing the pan in the oven. Then, roast the cauliflower until it becomes soft when pierced with a fork.
The surface color of the cauliflower will turn brown when it is roasted
Step 5. Sprinkle 50 grams of Parmesan Cheese over the cauliflower
Put on special oven gloves, then remove the pan from the oven. Then, sprinkle grated Parmesan Cheese over the cauliflower, if desired. If not, you can skip this stage.
Step 6. Re-roast the cauliflower for 3 to 5 minutes
Return the pan to the oven and roast the cauliflower until the cheese is melted. Once cooked, transfer the cauliflower to a serving plate and serve while warm.
Leftover cauliflower can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days
Method 4 of 4: Making Cauliflower Steak
Step 1. Heat a gas grill or charcoal grill over low to medium heat
If using a gas grill, simply heat half the grill over low to medium heat. If using a charcoal grill, first burn the charcoal until it is hot and emits ashes, then move the hot charcoal to one side of the grill.
By only heating half of the grill, it will be easier for you to control the temperature of the cauliflower steak when it is roasting
Step 2. Cut each head of cauliflower into 2 or 3 fairly thick pieces
First, clean the 2 cauliflower heads that you have prepared, then place them on a cutting board. Then, peel the outer leafy cauliflower petals, then use a very sharp knife to cut the stems until the cauliflower can be placed vertically on a cutting board. Hold the cauliflower in one hand and gently cut it into 4 pieces, each about 4 cm thick. After that, place each piece of cauliflower steak on a baking sheet.
Remember, the cauliflower buds will definitely fall off during this process. If the situation occurs, simply set aside the fallen florets to be processed into another recipe
Step 3. Brush all sides of the steak with 60 ml of olive oil
Pour the olive oil into a small bowl, then apply the oil to one surface of the steak with the help of a barbecue brush or bread brush. After that, turn the steak over and brush the other side with oil.
Olive oil is useful for enriching the taste of steaks and preventing them from sticking to the grill bars when grilling
Step 4. Combine salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika to season the steak
pour 1 tsp. (5.5 grams) sea salt and 1/4 tsp (0.5 grams) ground black pepper in a bowl. Then, add 1/2 tsp. (1 gram) garlic powder and 1/2 tsp. (1 gram) smoked paprika powder into it. Stir all the seasoning powder until well combined, then sprinkle all over the surface of the steak.
Tip:
If you have limited time, simply brush the surface of the steak with an olive oil solution commonly used as a salad dressing, such as Italian lettuce or balsamic vinegar, instead of dry herbs.
Step 5. Place the steaks on the grill, then roast all sides for 14 to 16 minutes
Make sure that each piece of steak is placed about 2.5 cm apart. Then, cover the grill and cook the steaks until all sides are cooked through and stained with grill traces. Halfway through the roasting process, use tongs to flip the steak over so that all sides cook evenly.
If using a charcoal grill, place the steaks on the grill grill heated by the coals
Step 6. Transfer the steak to the side of the grill that is not exposed to direct heat
Wear special oven gloves to open the grill lid. Then, use tongs to move the steak to the side of the grill that isn't exposed to direct heat. After that, close the grill again to trap the heat inside.
Step 7. Bake the cauliflower again for 15 to 20 minutes
Bake the cauliflower until it is as soft as you want it to be. Once cooked, transfer the cauliflower steak to a serving plate and serve immediately with the other grilled vegetables.
- To check the tenderness of the steak, try piercing the center with a knife. It should be easy to pull the knife back when the steak is soft enough.
- Leftover steaks can be stored in an airtight container, then refrigerated and used up for up to 5 days.
Tips
- For a unique and distinct taste, try cooking purple or orange cauliflower!
- Replace white rice with rice made from cauliflower to drastically reduce your daily calorie intake.
