Vegan cauliflower "Steak" au Poivre

My friend (and former Sauce executive editor) Ligaya Figueras conquered her fear of cooking meat when she made the steak au poivre recipe in Dana Cowin’s Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen. Ligaya was so enthralled with the resulting pepper steak that she suggested I vegetize it, which is a bit like saying, “I love dogs. You should get a cat.” But I was intrigued by the dish’s signature peppercorn cognac sauce, which is made in part by setting the cognac on fire. On purpose.

Traditional steak au poivre (rhymes with mauve) involves seasoning a steak with freshly cracked black pepper, searing it and using the pan drippings to make peppercorn cognac sauce. Instead of beef, I made cauliflower “steaks” by cutting a whole cauliflower head vertically into 1½-inch slices. A cauliflower steak doesn’t need to be seared; simply roast it in the oven while you chase the stray peppercorns rolling around your kitchen. The edges crisp to a beautiful brown, and the taste settles into a gentle, slightly nutty flavor that doesn’t compete with the cognac sauce. (If cauliflower isn’t your favorite veggie, roasted eggplant is another tasty option.)

The one thing roasted cauliflower can’t do, though, is produce flavor-packed pan drippings – and without a savory component, my cognac sauce risked tasting thin and harsh. To add earthy notes, I sauteed some mushrooms, dumped them into a bowl and poured the cognac into the hot pan.

Let’s pause for a minute to discuss flammable liquids. Cowin’s recipe indicated the cognac would ignite as soon as the pan returned to the burner. What it didn’t say is that it’s vitally important to only use a little bit of cognac. Do not shrug and add extra shots of alcohol, even if that’s your habit with recipes or Tuesday afternoons. A mere half-cup of cognac burst into a fireball that roared 4 feet high, shooting from my stovetop into the hood. Trust me, even though it mostly burns away, a quarter-cup of cognac is more than enough to impart intoxicating flavor without removing your eyebrows.

In addition to the cognac, Cowin uses fresh lemon juice and creme fraiche in her sauce. Since I already had it in the fridge, I substituted milky half-and-half for the tangy creme fraiche. My thrifty switcheroo backfired when the half-and-half curdled in the lemon juice. The bright flavor of lemon balanced the meaty mushrooms, so it needed to stay in the recipe – but not necessarily in the sauce. I kept the citrus and ditched the curds by seasoning the cauliflower with lemon-pepper and garnishing the finished dish with a lemon zest-filled gremolada.

This recipe is not for those with faint hearts or low ceilings. But if you’re up for an adventure, you’ll be glad you added the versatile peppercorn cognac sauce to your cooking repertoire. Whether you’re using it atop meat or veggies, the complex, peppery-boozy creaminess takes all the stovetop excitement and fires it right back into this fearless dish.

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Cauliflower steak au poivre
4 servings

1 large head cauliflower
5 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¼ tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
6 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
A few pinches freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste, divided
¼ cup cognac
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1½ cups mushroom broth
2 Tbsp. half-and-half
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, minced
1 tsp. minced garlic

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Trim the green leaves away from the bottom of the cauliflower, leaving the woody core untouched. Stand the head upright on a cutting board. Cut vertical slices 1½ inches apart to make the cauliflower steaks.
• Brush both sides of the steaks with 3 tablespoons canola oil and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the steaks with ¼ teaspoon salt and the lemon-pepper seasoning. Roast the cauliflower 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown, then flip and roast an additional 10 minutes, until cauliflower centers are fork-tender. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, the remaining salt and a pinch of black pepper. Saute the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they brown and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, pour the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside.
• With the skillet off the burner, add the cognac. Holding the skillet away from you, carefully return it to medium-high heat. The cognac will immediately burst into flames. If not, light it with a long-handled match.
• When the flames subside, add the shallots and mustard, stirring to coat. Add the broth and reduce the heat to medium, stirring to blend, and reduce the liquid by half. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the half-and-half and a few pinches of black pepper. Season to taste.
• In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, parsley and garlic to make a gremolada. Place the cauliflower steaks on plates. Top with the mushrooms. Drizzle with the cognac reduction, sprinkle with the gremolada and serve.