Cauliflower Steak, Romesco Sauce, Salsa Verde

by Liz Child

What’s on the menu for your Valentine this year? We’re going for this juicy cauliflower steak on silky, smokey Romesco sauce topped with tangy salsa verde. It’s light, vibrant and full of flavour! Good for you, good for the planet. Perfect with some bread to mop up the juices and a glass of organic wine to wash it down. Add the organic ingredients to your next veg box here.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the steaks:

  • 2 thick slices from the middle of a cauliflower
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste

For the Romesco sauce:

  • 100g almonds
  • 2 roasted red peppers
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 tbsp vinegar (apple cider, red wine or sherry vinegars work well)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For the salsa verde:

  • 30g parsley
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • a good grind of black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Get your almonds in to roast for 5 minutes while you find an oven and hob safe pan and your blender.
  2. Put your pan on a high heat with the olive oil. Sear the cauliflower steaks in the pan and season on both sides. Then pop the pan in the oven for 15 minutes to cook the cauliflower through while you make the sauces.
  3. Blend all the ingredients for the Romesco sauce until smooth. Blend the salsa verde ingredients until roughly chopped. Then it’s time to plate up.
  4. Spread a luscious layer of Romesco on two plates. Top with the cauliflower steaks then drizzle over the salsa verde. Take to the table with some bread and wine and enjoy!

Potatoes & Peas with Mint Salsa Verde

by Liz Child

How about a potato salad with fresher flavours? A tangy, herby salsa verde made with mint and capers pairs perfectly with peas and buttery new potatoes. If you don’t have peas in the freezer, switch them with any fresh greens you like. We particularly love this salad with thinly sliced raw courgette in place of the peas or chopped and steamed French beans or broccoli. Anyway you make it, it’s a brilliant bowl to bring along to a BBQ.

Liz x

Ingredients

  • 12 new potatoes
  • 150g cooked peas (or this is lovely with thinly sliced raw courgette or chopped and steamed French beans or broccoli too!)
  • 25g fresh mint leaves
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • 1 garlic clove
  • the juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
some alternative greens which would work in place of the peas

Method

  1. Halve and boil the new potatoes until tender, then drain and cool while you make the salsa verde.
  2. Put the mint, garlic, capers, lemon juice and olive oil into a blender.
  3. Blend into a loose sauce then taste – add more lemon, olive oil or capers to taste. You shouldn’t need to add salt, the capers are plenty salty enough.
  4. Put the cooked and cooled potatoes into a bowl with the peas (or broccoli, French beans or courgette slices) and drizzle over half the salsa verde and toss to combine.
  5. Add more salsa verde or keep left overs in a jar in the fridge and use within a week. It’s great over salads & roasted vegetables, spread into a wrap or stirred through a summery soup or stew.