Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins & Pine Nuts

I have roasted cauliflower before but this recipe caught my eye when Valerie Bertinelli prepared it on the Food Network. The golden raisins and toasted pine nuts were, indeed, the perfect accompaniment to delicious roasted slices of cauliflower!

I did cut down the recipe and made a few minor changes; for the original click here: Valerie Bertinelli’sRoasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts.

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

1 head cauliflower, cut vertically into ½” thick steaks (I also roasted some pieces that broke apart + saved the remaining pieces for another dish)

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts

3 to 4 tablespoons golden raisins

Fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
   
3. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.

   

   This is what they looked like after flipping.

4. Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium sauté pan and toast over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Mix pine nuts and raisins.
   
6. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter or plates; drizzle with a little additional olive oil. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top andgarnish with chopped parsley.
   

Recipe without photos . . .
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

1 head cauliflower, cut vertically into ½” thick steaks (I also roasted some pieces that broke apart + saved the remaining pieces for another dish)

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts 

3 to 4 tablespoons golden raisins

Fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium sauté pan and toast over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Mix pine nuts and raisins.
6. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter or plates; drizzle with a little additional olive oil. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top andgarnish with chopped parsley.

Side dish Salad: Green Bean & Cauliflower Salad with bacon and pesto

Our July/August 2015 issue of Cuisine at home arrived this week, and it was the inspiration for my version of a recipe in their magazine. The green beans and cauliflower were blanched for just minutes/seconds (3 min. for green beans; 30 sec. for cauliflower) in the original recipe but we much preferred cooking them to a tender-crisp consistency.

Green Bean & Cauliflower Salad with bacon and pesto

Salad

   1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed & halved

   1 lb. fresh cauliflower floret

   1 cup halved grape tomatoes (I used an heirloom blend)

   7 strips bacon, diced, cooked until crisp

   Toasted pine nuts 

Pesto Dressing

   ¾ to 1 cup prepared pesto

   ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

   Extra olive oil to thin pesto

1. Cook green beans and cauliflower in boiling salted water until tender-crisp (or steam if preferred).
   
2. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Dry and completely dry the vegetables (a salad spinner works well for this task).
4. Transfer veggies to a platter; add tomatoes and bacon.
5. Combine ingredients for Pesto Dressing.
6. Garnish vegetables with pine nuts and serve with Pesto Dressing.

Recipe without photos . . .

Green Bean & Cauliflower Salad with bacon and pesto

Salad

   1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed & halved

   1 lb. fresh cauliflower floret

   1 cup halved grape tomatoes (I used an heirloom blend)

   7 strips bacon, diced, cooked until crisp

   Toasted pine nuts 

Pesto Dressing

   ¾ to 1 cup prepared pesto

   ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

   Extra olive oil to thin pesto

1. Cook green beans and cauliflower in boiling salted water until tender-crisp (or steam if preferred).
2. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Dry and completely dry the vegetables (a salad spinner works well for this task).
4. Transfer veggies to a platter; add tomatoes and bacon.
5. Combine ingredients for Pesto Dressing.
6. Garnish vegetables with pine nuts and serve with Pesto Dressing.

Santa Fe-style Quinoa Salad

     Mentioned in a previous post that quinoa could be interchanged with pasta or rice and that it was quite versatile It takes center stage in this salad that is packed with flavors of the Southwest. This flavorful (and healthy) recipe came from Jane Medina. 

Santa Fe-style Quinoa Salad

1½ cups water

½ cup. mild or medium picante sauce or salsa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed under cold water

¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1½ cups fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels, cooked, drained and cooled

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced (including white and green parts)

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 tablespoon canola oil

Jane also added some toasted pinon (pine) nuts

1.  In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine water, picante sauce, quinoa, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. 

2.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Uncover and toss with fork. Transfer to large bowl and let cool slightly. 

3.  Add remaining ingredients to quinoa, tossing well to combine. Serve slightly warm or let cool to room temperature. Alternatively cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days and serve chilled.

Review basic cooking methods and the benefits of quinoa at our previous post — "Supergrain of the Future®".