Luscious lemony Roasted Cauliflower Piccata is easy to make, but it looks so fancy that those at the dinner table will think you slaved away in the kitchen for hours! This recipe is from Robin Robertson’s fantastic new book Veganize It!
Veganize It!
It’s pretty easy to find vegan versions of foods such as milk, cheese, butter, mayo, sausage, and bacon these days, but that wasn’t always the case. It used to be that if you hand a hankering for tasty dairy-free cheese or hearty seitan, you had to make it yourself. Robin Robertson went vegan in late 80s, and while she was pretty happy with cooking with vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts, she did find herself craving foods like pasta Alfredo and BLTs. So what’s a chef to do? She made vegan versions at home, of course! And we’re now in for a treat, because Robin has compiled all of her DIY recipes in her new cookbook Veganize It!
The benefits to making your own vegan staples at home are that you can control the ingredients they contain and that you’ll save money in doing so. With Veganize It!, you can make your own milks, cheeses, bacon, burgers, sausages, butter, and even Worcestershire sauce.
DIY Basics
Robin starts the book with some basics, including a list of items to keep stocked in your pantry and a list of equipment that can be handy to have in the kitchen. The recipes in Veganize It! are categorized into type, so there’s a chapter for dairy-free milks, sauces, and cheeses, and another one for plant-based “meats,” such as a Best Bean Burgers, Mamas Meatballs, and Baked Seitan Roast. There’s also a chapter dedicated to “seafood,” a vegan “charcuterie” which is loaded with vegan versions of smoked meats, ad a section full of vegetable “steaks.” Robin’s also included a chapter for condiments and sauces, one for flour-based foods such as crackers and pastas, and another sweets.
The recipes Veganize It! include DIY basics as well as recipes to use them in. So once you’ve made Smoky Queso Sauce, you can pour it over Breakfast Nachos. After you’ve made your own milk, butter, and sour cream, you can use them in Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives. You won’t find recipes for things like hummus and salsa in Veganize It!, as they’re already vegan, and this book is dedicated to vegan versions of foods that are traditionally animal-based. Some of my favorite recipes so far have been the Bacon-Topped Mac Uncheese, the Roasted Cauliflower Piccata, and the Breakfast Nachos.
If you love to cook, are into DIY, want to save money, or are just interested in eating less meat, then Veganize It! is for you!
Roasted Cauliflower Piccata
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cored
- Olive oil for cooking
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 scallions minced
- ⅓ cup dry white wine or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoons capers drained
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons vegan butter chilled
- Your favorite mashed potatoes to serve
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil two large rimmed baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
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Place the cauliflower on a cutting board, cored-side down, and use a long serrated knife to cut it into ½-inch-thick slices, as if you were cutting a loaf of bread. Arrange the cauliflower slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and brush with a little olive oil or spray with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast the cauliflower until tender and nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once with a large metal spatula about halfway through.
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While the cauliflower is roasting, make the sauce. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and scallions and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the wine, lemon juice, and capers and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces slightly. Just before serving, add the parsley, then stir in the butter to melt it into the sauce.
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To serve, spoon a serving of the mashed potatoes onto each plate and top with a cauliflower steak. Spoon the sauce on top.
Recipe Notes
Text excerpted from VEGANIZE IT! © 2017 by Robin Robertson. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
I have a copy of Veganize It! for one lucky reader. Follow the instructions below to enter. U.S residents only, please, Giveaway ends at midnight eastern time on March 7th. Good luck!
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Can’t wait to try this!
It’s really good – I’ve made it twice!
The book looks amazing Dianne! And so does the roasted cauliflower piccata! That looks like a deliciously tasty meal!
Thanks, Mary Ellen! It’s a great book!
Oh yum! This is one of the recipes I’ve been wanting to make from Veganize It!. You have me thinking that I need to prioritize it.
I’ve made it twice now! It’s really good. And easy!
I still haven’t found a vegan version of mac and cheese that I’m crazy about.
I still have not tried my hand at vegan meringues with aquafaba. And I used to really enjoy those. I think that is what I am most looking forward to trying when I get around to it!
I am a fan of Robin’s prior books as well!
Vegan meringues are fun! I’ve made both the cookies in the oven and baked alaska with a touch.
My grandma made the most fantastic creamed cauliflower that I’d love to make (although we don’t even know how to make it non-vegan!). This recipe looks delicious and I’ll definitely have to try it. Thanks for the chance.
I can’t wait to try this!!!
Enjoy!
Meringues, fondue
Tuna! It’s for a casserole. =)
A vegan lemon meringue pie would be great!
I miss a good chicken pot pie.
I would like to veganize fried chicken!
Macaroni and cheese 🙂
I really miss low sodium cottage cheese. And buttermilk, sour cream and cream cheese. There are no real tasting brands on the market nor have the basic recipes for buttermilk or sour cream tasted anything like the real thing.
I was vegetarian for a long time before going vegan, but if I dig way, way back to foods that evoke good childhood memories and still make me slightly jealous when I see people enjoying such food, it would be whitefish salad (and also rainbow cookies).
I am loving this book! Still need to try this recipe as I’m obsessed with cauliflower!
You do need to try it!
I most want to veganize poutine. I love some good fries and gravy.
I have a recipe here! https://www.diannesvegankitchen.com/vegan-disco-fries/
Looks delicious, Dianne! This is such a great cookbook.
Thanks, Amy!
This piccata looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. An omelette is what I’d like ~ have seen recipes for chickpea omelettes but haven’t tried yet.
I would love to have a vegan packzi (pronounced “punch-key”). It’s a decadent filled donut that shows up in Cincinnati during Lent.
Ooh! I love Cauliflower Steaks! These look amazing! If I could veganize brie cheese I think I would be a happy girl! So yummy!
A dish I would like veganized the most is probably a good textured meatloaf. I have tried a few vegan versions but did not cut it. Your book and recipes look great!
I am new to your work but I saw your book at Costco today. Everything looks delicious
French onion soup with melty cheese and toast on top!