News flash, your grill isn’t for sausages, steaks, and burgers (if it is, don’t tell me!). Veggies turn out delicious from the smoky flavor imparted by the grill. Another bonus of turning on the gas or lighting the charcoal is I don’t have to heat up the house and use the oven, and I shave about thirty minutes of prep time off of my meal. Whether you simply rub down with a little olive or coconut oil and sea salt, or if you get more creative when you use your grill, the flavors are delicious.
Baste with olive oil and finish on the grill, you can achieve a meatiness in this cauliflower dish not always associated with vegetables.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 whole head cauliflower
6 cups water
2 T. extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
sea salt
cracked pepper
Tapenade:
3 T. drained capers
1/3 cup green and black olives, your choice or mix of the two
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
The trick is to cut the cauliflower into big thick slices, or cauliflower “steaks.” You are going to cut them from the center of the vegetable, vertically, cutting down through the core.
Cut 3/4-inch thick vertical slices from the center of the cauliflower, as many steaks as you can make (I can usually get 2-3 decent “steaks” from one head cauliflower).
Brush the cauliflower steaks on both sides with olive oil, and then season them generously with sea salt and pepper and fresh herbs of your choice.
Put the cauliflower steaks on the grill.
Watch the steaks carefully. Turn once, when well-marked and starting to soften. Total cooking time should be about 9-10 minutes, over medium heat. If the steaks are char-marked, but to firm, turn down heat and cover them for 3-4 minutes until fork tender.
Tapenade: In a food processor combine capers, olives, and garlic. With motor running, add oil in a stream and puree until mixture forms a coarse paste. (Tapenade keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.)
Drizzle the tapenade over the finished cauliflower steaks, serve immediately or at room temperature.
