Roasted cauliflower steaks with smoky almond romesco

• 2 cauliflowermedium heads, about 700g each
• 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
• 200 g roasted red peppersjarred, drained
• 50 g raw almonds
• 2 garlic clovespeeled
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbs sherry vinegar
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 10 g flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. While it heats, scatter the almonds onto a corner of the sheet pan — they'll toast while the oven comes up to temperature. Pull them off once they're fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside for the romesco.

   Tip: Keep an eye on the almonds — they go from toasted to burnt fast. They should smell nutty and be a shade darker.

2. 2

   Trim the leaves off each cauliflower and cut a thin slice off one side to create a flat base. Stand each head on the flat side and slice two 2.5cm (1-inch) thick steaks from the center of each head. You'll get 4 steaks total. Save the leftover florets for another use.

   Tip: Cut straight down with confidence — a sharp knife and a steady hand keep the steaks from crumbling. Some loose florets are totally normal.

3. 3

   Lay the cauliflower steaks on the lined sheet pan. Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then season generously with 1 teaspoon of the salt and all the black pepper. Roast for 12 minutes.

4. 4

   Flip the steaks carefully with a spatula. The undersides should be golden and starting to char in spots. Return to the oven and roast for another 10-12 minutes until both sides are deeply caramelized and a knife slides through the thickest part with zero resistance.

   Tip: If they're not as dark as you'd like at the end, switch to the broiler for 1-2 minutes — watch closely.

5. 5

   While the cauliflower roasts after flipping, make the romesco. Add the toasted almonds, drained roasted red peppers, garlic cloves, smoked paprika, cayenne, sherry vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth with a bit of texture — about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar to your liking.

   Tip: The romesco should be thick and spoonable, not pourable. If it's too thick, add a splash of water — 1 tablespoon at a time.

6. 6

   Transfer the cauliflower steaks to plates, spoon a generous amount of romesco over each one, and scatter the chopped parsley on top.

• sheet pan (half-sheet (18x13 inch))
• blender
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• pastry brush

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.