Chicken Kiev was one of my favourite meals as a kid.
My ‘cheat’ version doesn’t involve any stuffing and instead uses cauliflower steaks, which I cover in crunchy breadcrumbs, serve with orzo salad and dress with a garlic and parsley olive oil for a healthier twist.
Enjoy!
Notes:
- It’s important you use a large cauliflower. The head (with leaves removed) should weigh at least 800g (28oz), otherwise the ‘steak’ will be too small and it might fall apart when you slice the cauliflower.
- For the garlic and parsley olive oil dressing, which we drizzle over the dish to serve, we recommend using extra virgin olive oil, which has a stronger flavour and lighter texture compared to regular refined olive oil. This is why we also recommend adding it to a cold pan and cooking at a medium heat to prevent the oil burning. Also, if you want to air-fry the cauliflower, you’ll need to use an oil spray.
Things to know:
- We like to use Old Bay Original Seasoning, which is a type of all all-purpose seasoning. However you can also use spice mixes simply branded as ‘all-purpose seasoning’ or other blends, such as Cajun seasoning.
- We use unsweetened soy milk. Regular (sweetened) soy would be too sweet and might overpower the batter. Oat milk also works well.
- We love to cook these cauliflower steaks in our air-fryer for best results, but you can also cook them in an oven if you prefer. The cooking times will be the same.
- We use really flakey panko breadcrumbs, which create an extra crunchy coating. You might need more or less panko breadcrumbs depending on how flakey they are, so it’s best to have a little extra lying around if necessary.
Cheat’s Cauliflower Kiev Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, see notes
- 60 g plain flour
- 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning, see notes
- salt + pepper
- 120 ml plant-based milk, see notes
- 90 g panko breadcrumbs
- olive oil, see notes
- 100 g orzo
- 110 g frozen edamame
- 100 g frozen peas
- 1 handful of fresh parsley, stalks removed
- 1 small handful of fresh dill, stalks removed
- 1/2 lemon, zest + juice
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled + finely chopped
Method
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and slice the head down the middle. Slice a 2cm (0.8”) thick steak from each half of the head so you’re left with two cauliflower steaks, then set them aside. Save any leftover cauliflower for another recipe.
- In a wide-shallow bowl, mix together the flour, all-purpose seasoning and a pinch of salt. Then pour in the milk and whisk into a smooth batter. In a separate wide-shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs.
- Take one of the cauliflower steaks and submerge it in the batter. Shake off any excess batter, then fully coat it in the breadcrumbs and leave to one side. Repeat for the remaining cauliflower steak.
- If you’re using an air-fryer, spray the basket a couple of times with oil, add the cauliflower steaks, then give them another few sprays with the oil. Cook for 25-30 minutes at 180°C / 350°F or until golden and crispy all over, turning halfway. Alternatively, add to a baking tray, drizzle with a small splash of oil and cook for the same amount of time in a pre-heated oven at 180°C fan / 400°F, turning halfway.
- Meanwhile, add the orzo to a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Next add the frozen edamame and peas to the same saucepan, bring back to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then drain in a sieve and run under cold water for 5-10 seconds to remove any starch.
- Transfer the orzo, edamame and peas to a large mixing bowl. Add 2/3 of the parsley and all of the dill, followed by the zest and juice from the lemon. Season with salt and pepper, then give the orzo salad a good mix.
- Finally, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped garlic to a cold saucepan, then cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes to lightly brown the garlic. Finely chop the remaining parsley, then stir it into the pan with a pinch of salt.
- To serve, first slice the breaded cauliflower steaks, then add the orzo salad to plates, top with the cauliflower and drizzle over the garlic and parsley olive oil. Enjoy!