INGREDIENTS
1 large head of cauliflower
½ cup tandoori spice mix, plus more as needed RECIPE
High-heat vegetable oil, as needed
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Turn your oven to its highest heat setting (450-500˚F for most home ovens). Place a large, well-seasoned cast iron pan in the oven and allow it to heat up while you prepare the cauliflower.
2. Remove the leaves and tough stem end of the cauliflower. Slice the head into 3 to 4 steaks approximately 1” thick. Save the outer florets for another purpose, or cook them separately.
3. Coat the cauliflower steaks with vegetable oil, then add a generous layer of tandoori spice, making sure you get into as many of the crevices as possible. If using the smaller florets, give them the same treatment.
4. Carefully remove the cast iron pan from the oven and place it on top of the stove. Lay the cauliflower steaks into the pan in a single layer, ensuring that they are not tightly crowded. Place the small florets in a second pan, or use the same pan once the first batch is done.
5. Put the pan(s) back into the oven and cook the cauliflower on one side for approximately 3 minutes. Season the tops of the steaks with salt, then flip them and season on the other side.
6. Place the pan(s) back into the oven and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until fork tender.
7. Cut into large chunks or leave the steaks whole for a dramatic effect.
8. Serve with a large dollop of vadouvan labneh (see recipe) and topped with roasted carrots and a sprinkling of plumped sultanas.*
VADOUVAN LABNEH
Yields 1 cup
This recipe combines labneh—a soft Middle Eastern cheese made from yogurt—with vadouvan, an Indian-inspired spice mix with French colonial origins. It’s a magical cultural mash-up of flavors!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup labneh
10 grams vadouvan powder**
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
**If not available, use a high-quality store-bought curry powder and add powdered onion, powdered garlic, and a little freshly ground clove.
DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk all the ingredients together, and adjust the salt to your taste. Because this sauce is served cold, it’s important to make it extra flavorful and slightly saltier than you would normally like.
2. Allow it to sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight, before serving so the flavors have time to blend.
*Note: To plump sultanas, or golden raisins, place them in a small saucepan, cover with water or St. Supéry Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Muscat Canelli. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and allow them to sit in the hot liquid until rehydrated. You can do this step several days ahead and store them in the liquid in the refrigerator.
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