Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet
• •Wide metal spatula
• •Pastry brush for butter
• •Sharp chef's knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the remoulade

   Whisk together the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, horseradish, capers, cornichons, green onions, lemon juice, hot sauce, and smoked paprika in a medium bowl. Taste it. Adjust the lemon and hot sauce until it sings to you. The remoulade should be tangy, slightly spicy, with a little bite from the mustard and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate while you work on everything else.

   Remoulade improves as it sits. Make it the night before if you can, and the flavors will marry beautifully.
2. 2

   Cut the cauliflower steaks

   Remove the leaves from each cauliflower head but keep the core intact. That core is what holds your steaks together. Stand the cauliflower upright and slice from top to bottom into steaks about one inch thick. You'll get two good center steaks from each head, plus some florets from the edges. Save those florets for another meal.

3. 3

   Blend the blackening spices

   Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, salt, and white pepper in a small bowl. Mix it thoroughly with your fingers, breaking up any clumps. This is your blackening blend. Give it a sniff. It should smell bold and alive, like Louisiana itself.

   Double or triple this spice blend and store it in a jar. You'll reach for it constantly: on chicken, fish, shrimp, even popcorn.
4. 4

   Season the steaks

   Brush both sides of each cauliflower steak generously with melted butter. Don't be shy here. The butter carries the spices and helps them bloom in the heat. Coat both sides heavily with the blackening spice, pressing it gently into the surface. Every inch should be covered in that deep red-brown blend.

5. 5

   Heat your cast iron

   Set your largest cast iron skillet over high heat and let it get screaming hot. This takes a solid five to seven minutes. Add the vegetable oil and let it shimmer. When you see the faintest wisps of smoke rising from the pan, you're ready. Open your windows. Turn on your vent. This is supposed to make smoke.

   A properly heated cast iron skillet is the whole secret. If your pan isn't hot enough, you're not blackening, you're just burning spices slowly.
6. 6

   Blacken the cauliflower

   Lay the cauliflower steaks in the smoking pan. You should hear an aggressive sizzle the moment they hit. Don't crowd them. Work in batches if needed. Let them cook undisturbed for three to four minutes. The spices will darken dramatically, that's the point. Flip carefully with a wide spatula and cook another three to four minutes. The steaks should be deeply charred but not burned, tender when pierced with a knife but still holding their shape.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Transfer the blackened steaks to a platter and let them rest for two minutes. This lets the heat distribute and the exterior set. Spoon a generous pool of cold remoulade alongside each steak, or drizzle it over the top. Scatter fresh parsley if you like. Serve immediately while the cauliflower is still warm against that cool, tangy sauce.

Chef Tips

• •Creole mustard has a coarse grind and vinegary bite that's essential to authentic remoulade. If you can't find it, mix whole grain mustard with a splash of white wine vinegar.
• •The center steaks hold together best. Those edge florets want to fall apart, so save them for roasting or soup. Don't fight them.
• •Cast iron retains heat like nothing else, which is why it's perfect for blackening. A stainless pan won't give you the same results.
• •Start with one teaspoon of cayenne if you're spice-shy. You can always add more heat, but you can't take it away. Build up to where your palate wants to be.

Advance Preparation

• •The remoulade can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors deepen with time.
• •The spice blend keeps indefinitely in an airtight container. Make extra.
• •Cauliflower steaks can be cut and buttered up to four hours ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator, then season and cook when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 475g)