Harlem’s own, chef, author, TV star and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, whips up a simple easy but incredible tasty veggie dish with spice-roasted cauliflower, eggplant and avocado that you’re gonna love. Even if you’re a meat eater, we promise you don’t want to miss this one.
If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Steaks:
- 1 large cauliflower head
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp miso
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt & Pepper
For the Eggplant Avocado Puree:
- 1 small to medium eggplant
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Salt & Pepper
For the Succotash:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 3 ears of corn, kernels removed
- 1 cup of sweet peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 scallions, whites and light green parts chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Various fresh herbs (Tarragon, Parsley, Basil, etc. – whatever you might have laying around)
- Salt & Pepper
EQUIPMENT ESSENTIALS
- Large bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Blender or large bowl and fork/potato master
- Sauté pan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cauliflower:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the tough outer leaves of the cauliflower, and cut into large steaks – you’ll get about four per head.
In a large bowl, combine 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp olive oil, miso and salt & pepper. Add the cauliflower steaks to the spice mixture and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and caramelized.
For the eggplant avocado puree:
Take the small eggplant and poke it all over with a fork. Transfer to the oven where the cauliflower is roasting and place directly on the oven rack. Cook until very soft, about 20 minutes.
Once the eggplant has slightly cooled, peel off the skin and scoop the flesh into a blender. Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Blend until very smooth and set aside. If you don’t have a blender this can be mashed by hand in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher, it just won’t be as smooth.
For the succotash:
In a saute pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt & pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for 3 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Next, throw the corn and peas into the pan, cooking for 2 minutes. Once the corn and peas are just cooked through, add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute more – you just want to warm these up a bit. Remove from heat and add the scallions, fresh herbs, and the vinegar. Give it a taste and adjust for seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed.
To serve, evenly distribute the eggplant avocado puree across four plates. Place the cauliflower steaks on top of the sauce, followed by the succotash. Garnish with additional fresh herbs.
