After a two week break, school is up and started again. This quarter I am taking European cuisine, Garde Manger, Latin cuisine, and a lecture class on Sustainable Purchasing. I am enjoying them all greatly, and especially look forward to learning more about purchasing foods, as this will certainly come in handy in my future business. Before school started, I decided to get my kitchen juices flowing again. Over break, my boyfriend and I went back to CT and MA, and while we did cook a couple meals, I felt as though it had been years since actually experimenting and trying out a new recipe. So, with an empty Sunday in front of me, I decided to go head and change the typical meat dish up with the cauliflower still sitting in our fridge from before break. I’ve always seen grilled cauliflower, but wasn’t sure if I’d like it. However, I absolutely love crispy roasted cauliflower, and once I tasted this recipe, I realized grilling it wasn’t far off. The cauliflower gets tender, with a nice char on the outside. The smaller florets also get nice and crispy. The plum sauce on the other hand, is something I dreamed up while standing in the produce isle of Publix. I think the workers were a bit worried for me, as I stood there staring at ingredients mumbling flavor combinations to myself. If they only knew! Overall, the dish came together fantastic, as the sauce is a sweet, sour, and bit earthy from the thyme, which accents the smokey flavor of the cauliflower quite well. This dish can be served a long with meat as a side, or easily as the main star (sans the meat). It’s your choice, so enjoy!

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Ginger Plum Sauce

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(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients

1 whole cauliflower
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced white onion
4 plums, peeled, 1/4 inch slices
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt for sprinkling on cauliflower

Process

Place 2 plums, onion, sea salt, ground ginger, vinegar, and thyme in a sauce pot, allowing the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer, letting the mixture thicken and the onions soften.
Once the sauce has reduced, add in remaining 2 plus, stirring until combined.
Cut cauliflower into 3/4-1 inch thick steaks, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle generously with sea salt.
Preheat grill to high, and once hot, place cauliflower on it, allowing them to cook 5-6 minutes per side until nicely charred.
Remove cauliflower from the grill and serve with ginger plum sauce.

Psalm 119:7 “I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.”