Cauliflower Steaks with Hummus and Gremolata

Prep the oven. Heat oven to 350°F.

Cut the cauliflower. Remove the tough outer leaves from the cauliflower, leaving any soft and tender center leaves intact. Trim the stem to create a flat base, then stand the cauliflower upright on the base and use a large knife to slice the cauliflower vertically in half (leaving the stem intact). Trim the outer rounded edge of each piece to create two 1.5-inch thick cauliflower steaks, and save the remaining florets for another use.

Prep the cauliflower. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few twists of freshly-ground black pepper. Lay the cauliflower steaks flat on a surface and brush the top sides evenly with half of the oil.

Cook the cauliflower. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower steaks, oiled-side-down, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the steaks are golden brown on the bottom. (You can use a spatula to carefully lift up the steaks to check their progress while they cook.) Brush the remaining oil on the tops of the steaks, then carefully flip them over. Transfer the entire skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the stems are fork-tender, then remove from the oven.

Prep the gremolata. While the steaks are baking, combine the toasted pine nuts, mint, parsley, garlic, the zest of the entire lemon, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir until evenly combined.

Serve. Use a spoon to spread 1/3 cup of hummus onto each serving plate. Top with the cauliflower steak, half of the gremolata, a drizzle of olive oil, an extra twist of black pepper, and serve with extra lemon wedges if desired. Enjoy!