Dan Barber's Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Purée
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Author Notes: There are plenty of cauliflower steaks out there on the internet, but we're partial to this recipe from farm-to-table genius Dan Barber -- true to his mission, it's the fullest celebration of cauliflower's talents. Barber uses every part of the buffalo, as they say, and adds almost nothing to distract you. He brings together the nutty crisped edges you get from roasting, and the unearthly creaminess of a purée (whipping up cauliflower's natural pectin turns it creamy even without dairy). Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit (February 2008). - Genius Recipes
Serves 2
- One 1 1/2-pound head of cauliflower
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Heat oven to 350°F. Using sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end. Set cauliflower steaks aside.
- Cut enough florets from remaining cauliflower head to measure 3 cups. Combine florets, water, and milk in medium saucepan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook until cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
- Transfer florets to blender. Add half of the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Add more of the liquid if desired, and puree again. Return puree to same saucepan.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush cauliflower steaks with additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower steaks to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Rewarm cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide puree between 2 plates; top each with cauliflower steak.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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about 1 month ago lalf
I just made this tonight, with a lovely, sweet cauliflower from the farmers' market. Followed directions exactly but found I definitely needed more minutes over the medium-high heat to achieve that rich brown caramelization in my non-stick pan. My steaks also needed few more minutes in the oven to be firm but done. I used almond milk (Trader Joe's) in place of the milk. The resulting sauce was velvety thick, fluffy and rich. Truly beautiful dish, and most satisfying! We loved it.
about 1 month ago Marcy
Excellent. As previous comments stated, we served this as a side dish. The plating looked beautiful with the white purée base, salmon, a half cauliflower tree, and sautéed leeks and greens. The dish was quick and easy and I will absolutely make this again.
3 months ago barbara960
I am making this right now- I think I'll add a piccata twist to the steaks with a little lemon juice and capers.
about 1 month ago spatula
I am going to use your suggestion, Barbara 960, plus top them with a fried egg.
3 months ago ReeceAmy
OMG - this is amazing! Made it for lunch. Put the steaks on a bed of Mujaddara (lentils, brown rice, carmelized onions) and a salad with a tangy vinaigrette. So good. Next time I may add a drop of truffle oil to the steaks.
3 months ago Gail Hicks
What a great idea! I love mujaddara!
3 months ago Gail Hicks
I made this tonight for dinner as a side to roasted chicken. It was so easy and tasted divine! The contrasting textures are just wonderful… silky purée and nutty, caramelized ‘steak’. My husband asked if I could make the “gravy” on Sunday morning to serve over biscuits!
3 months ago caroline0ne
I loved this and it was gorgeous; but I would want to serve an entree on the plate with it. Any ideas for an entree?
3 months ago saltandserenity
I made it for dinner one night and topped it with some fried eggs. The creamy yolk was very delicious mixed into the puree!
3 months ago Kristen Miglore
Kristen is the Senior Editor of Food52
I think a braised meat with a rich, winey sauce to mix into the puree would be amazing. Or if you want to stay vegetarian, in the original article I recommended a lentil salad on the side.
3 months ago melatron
So simple, affordable, beautiful and delicious! I made a blackening spice from chili powder, paprika, nutmeg and s&p for the steaks and topped the whole thing with sauteed golden beet greens with anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce and sesame oil. Gave a nice richness to the dish.
3 months ago Ole Andreas Hoen
Add grated nutmeg to the pureé - makes it taste like bechamél sauce, it's delectable!
3 months ago RJ Flamingo
I made just the steaks, last night (didn't have time to make the purée), and they were absolutely delicious! My husband couldn't believe that it was only a little canola oil, salt and pepper. Next time, I'll make the purée, but the cauliflower steaks were perfect!
3 months ago ejm
so, maybe it is gilding the lily; but, after preparing my steaks I made a quick topping by putting the pan back on the stove after the steaks were done, adding a bit of olive oil, panko and capers and topped the steaks once the panko was toasted. Really good!
3 months ago Lionessg
Some roasted beets would make for a delicious taste and color contrast with this dish. I can't wait to try it!
3 months ago Rob Mis
I happened to buy a head of cauliflower shortly before coming across this recipe. I made it today. Looks good, tastes great, under a half hour, it's a keeper. Oh, I sliced some mushrooms into tree shapes, sautéed them & spread them around the outer rim of the puree. Is that taking the theme too far?
3 months ago KelsoKitchen
I'm making this tomorrow for a friend that's vegan. Any idea if water or broth would be a reasonable substitute for the milk? Either way, I'm serving it along with another genius recipe, the Patrica Wells Lentil Salad.
3 months ago Kristen Miglore
Kristen is the Senior Editor of Food52
Yes, I do think that water or broth would be a good substitute for the milk -- the pectin in the cauliflower makes it creamy regardless. On the post, others suggested cashew butter and almond milk. Hope you like both recipes!
3 months ago Clm2020
I can't wait to try this recipe, it looks amazing!
3 months ago ChefAngelaChanel
Made for dinner this evening and it's amazing.
3 months ago Chantboy
This is a no-carb person's dream dish!
3 months ago sheilabeth
Can hardly wait to try this! Love cauliflower and this looks fabulous. Would be fun with the Cheddar Caulliflower too because of the color.
3 months ago RJ Flamingo
Just bought a gorgeous cauliflower at the farmers market, yesterday. Now I know what I'm going to do with it!
3 months ago Peter
While Peter no longer works for Food52 he still thinks up ways to make the website better.
Sounds great but doesn't it take a seriously large skillet to hold 2 cross sections of cauliflower at once? Or do I just have bigger than typical heads of cauliflower at my disposal?
3 months ago Kristen Miglore
Kristen is the Senior Editor of Food52
The size of cauliflower he specifies (which is on the smaller side) has plenty of room in a 12-inch skillet. But if your cauliflower is too big for your pan, you could always sear each steak on its own, then finish roasting on a baking sheet.
3 months ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I made this using 2 smallish heads of romanesco, and it was delicious! Nice presentation and a good contrast between the creamy purée and caramelized steak.