It’s a hot and humid summer in Toronto. So easy, lazy, tasty dinners are in high demand in our house these days. I came up with the idea for these cauliflower steaks with grilled shrimp skewers and chimichurri last week when I needed a fast, healthy dinner that left me feel less guilty than devouring a beef steak with herb butter and fried potatoes. As some of you may know, I love using cauliflower when I cook. Not only does it taste amazing, it’s also a wonderful substitution for carbs.
First time I came across the term ‘cauliflower steaks’, I must admit I thought it was a bit of an oxymoron, because how on earth can you get away with calling a slice of cauliflower a steak? Honestly? But after about 5 minutes of feeling slightly offended on behalf of steaks, I decided to give ‘cauliflower steaks’ the benefit of the doubt and try them. Grilled shrimp are so tasty and easy to make, and I thought they’d make a perfect companion for cauliflower. Of course the cherry on top is the always yummy chimichurri. Here is my own version which contains less vinegar than traditional chimichurri, making it a little less tart. Hope you’ll enjoy the combination as much as we did!
Cauliflower steaks with grilled shrimp skewers and chimichurri (serves 4)
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
A pinch of sweet paprika
4 wooden or metal sticks (BBQ proof)
About 10-15 large shrimp per person, 40-60 shrimp in total
Salt and pepper
Fresh lime or lemon
Green salad on the side
For the chimichurri:
12 tbsp (200 ml) olive oil
5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
Large bunch/2 handfuls fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Large bunch/2 handfuls parsley
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-3 green chilis (depending on strength and size), seeds removed and finely chopped
A bit of lime or lemon juice to taste
Directions
1. First, get your BBQ started and set the oven to broil/grilling mode. Then mix all the ingredients for the chimichurri in a bowl and leave in the fridge till the cauliflower steaks and shrimp skewers are cooked.
2. Next, wash the cauliflower, remove the stem, and carefully cut into slices about 1/4 inch (½ centimeter). Don’t fret if they come apart, they probably will, but it won’t affect the taste.
3. Now place the sliced cauliflower on a baking tray with baking parchment. Spray or drizzle with olive oil and season with a bit of sweet paprika, salt and pepper. Put them in the oven, and let broil/grill for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you might need to turn them, so they don’t burn on one side.
4. Put the shrimp on the skewers, and spray or drizzle with a bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. BBQ the skewers for about 5 minutes while turning.
Serve the cauliflower steaks with shrimp skewers and chimichurri with lime or lemon wedges, a simple green salad, and bread if you like.
Enjoy!
For more ideas for easy, tasty summer dishes, check out these:
