Steak with Olive-Cilantro Relish and Puréed Cauliflower
I wish I had more of a story to tell you about this recipe, but there’s no poetical waxing to pair with this today. I do need to tell you some factual things, though. First, I always thought puréed cauliflower seemed a little diet-y and South Beachy, a sad substitute when what you really want are spuds. But not so! Even my potato-loving husband embraced the cauliflower purée without feeling like a fast one was being pulled.
Secondly, a recipe like this might be the platonic ideal for a weeknight meal. Pair a night like this with some super cheap pantry meals, and I think we’re talking about a weekly rotation I can actually live with. And this kind of banal life quandary––the “what’s for dinner?” variety––has been on my mind this weekend, prompted by a conversation with some girlfriends. How is it that managing the day-in, day-out of cooking never seems to get easier? We talked about what works: what to keep on hand for emergency just-walked-in-the-door-and-you’re-starving meals, and whether it’s better to plan out the week’s dinners in advance. Why is it that the super mundane stuff like this trips up even the most brilliant women and placid relationships? I open the floor to your wisdom, and, in fact, beg for it. This is an area for which there always seems to be room for improvement.
One more factual note that seems super important is that this dinner was a home run. In a quick change, I went from dialing up delivery for fried dumplings and spicy tuna rolls, to busting out hits like this. It was fast, and alive with the earthy flavors of cauliflower, the briny flavor of olives. I felt like a rock star, and you can too! Add this to the “To Make” pile of recipes.
Steak with Olive-Cilantro Relish and Puréed Cauliflower
adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4
1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into florets
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 strip steaks (1-1 1/2 pounds total)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit it with a steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil.Place the cauliflower in the basket, cover, and steam until very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest before slicing.
While the steaks cook, transfer the drained cauliflower to a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Purée until smooth.
In a bowl, combine the parsley, olives, shallot, vinegar, remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with steak and cauliflower.
Tiffany: Whoa. That looks so good! I don’t eat very much beef, but I bet it would be great with pork loin or white fish too!1 year ago
Julie: I LOVE the cauliflower/olive combo. Smitten Kitchen has a cauliflower/olive/lots of other yummy things salad recipe that is delicious! Thanks so much for a new option with those two fabulous (and sometimes under-appreciated) items!1 year ago
Carrie Anne / Little Big: I have been looking everywhere for a recipe for cauliflower that I haven’t tried yet. This looks promising, I can’t wait to try it out!1 year ago
Miranda M.: Heck yeah! I always love when you post about steak dinners. Thanks for sharing this one.1 year ago
Sara Rose: Steak sounds AMAZING. But why can’t I get into olives cooked in ANYTHING? I can say that they are of the very few ingredients that never excite me. Isn’t that weird? I just despise the texture, the flavor, etc, when they are cooked. This does NOT, however, stop me from dumping half a jar of them in a martini.1 year ago
Bernie: As a newlywed I have this problem in spades. Here’s what I’ve learned…hopefully it helps!
1. Do not fear the sandwich. One night when I was particularly desperate I said we should just go out. My husband said “can we have tuna sandwiches instead?” It was a revelation.
2. Butter, cheese, and pasta can do no wrong. If you don’t have cheese, salt and pepper works too. If you don’t have butter use oil. If you don’t have oil then you have bigger issues.
3. It doesn’t have to rock. It just has to taste good. A lesson painfully learned after and overambitious attempt at some French sounding thing went terribly awry.
I love reading about your food adventures. And this looks so good!1 year ago
Tiffany, Mmm, I bet it would be good with pork! Way to put your thinking cap on!
Julie, I need to look up that salad. Sounds super yum!
Carrie Ann, Yes, I was so surprised by the cauliflower puree that I might even call it a “revelation.”
Miranda, Hmm, when you put it that way, it makes me think we eat a lot more red meat than we ought to. Oh well…I do it mostly to keep Sebastian happy (and it works!).
Good news, Sara Rose! The olives aren’t cooked! You just chop ‘em up and stir them together with cilantro, shallots, and red wine vinegar, like a salsa. Can you get behind that?
Bernie, Your comment cracked me up after a very long day. Thank you for that! Whenever we have sandwiches for dinner, I say, “It’s sandwich night!” as an allusion to that ’80s movie with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, “About last night…” What to eat was an issue for them, too!
1 year ago
Sara Rose: I obviously had a DURH moment. I re-read the recipe after your comment and saw too, that the olives aren’t cooked. I totally felt like a moron-panda then. But, idk still. The olive-ness would get WARM. I guess I have to experiment and decide if it’s the olives themselves or the TEXTURE that gives me bother.
Oh and btw, speaking of sandwiches, we have them twice a week at least here. Ever since I started making the sardine sandwiches we both love so well, I get begged to make them every.single.week. Frankly, I can’t complain about that. ;P1 year ago