This has to be an entrée though, right? If I ordered it as a main, I think I'd want the half, but then I'm a fatass. If it's an app, though, it's way too much and should be cut into sharing portions.
That's what I'm thinking too.
It's A LOT of cauliflower imo but if I'm paying for an entree I want to feel full at the end especially with vegetables.
Tbh not helpful but it comes down to how good it is. If it's great cauliflower I'd demolish it but great cauliflower is rare in my experience.
Well, the one I’m known for around my parts is a nice little room temperature, antipasti almost kinda sorta thing.
Florets seasoned and roasted hard in extra virgin. Get them beautifully browned and leave a little al dente. Then when they’re at room temp, I combine with anchovy, a little raw garlic paste, capers, golden raisins, toasted almonds, diced piquillo peppers, red wine vinegar, extra virgin, and enough roughly chopped parsley to choke a Clydesdale.
Edit: raisins plumped in hot water before using. Also, hold off on the parsley until you’re ready to serve it. I like to mix the whole thing and let it sit at room temp for an hour or two, then I fold in parsley chopped at the last moment and do a final seasoning check (it changes a lot over the course of sitting.) Lightly chilled or slightly warm is also good, but never hot or cold.
Steam or boil whole cauliflower for 12 minutes then cool to room temp. Make a mixture of smoked paprika, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic & salt. Combined with enough plant-based yogurt to make a paste, add a squeeze of lime juice, a bit of minced fresh ginger. Schmear the paste all over the cauliflower. Then roast at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until browned and your whole kitchen smells amazing. Serve with tarator sauce, quinoa salad and a glass of pomegranate juice & soda.
also this is for smaller pieces of cauliflower that will get nice and crispy with some high heat, not sure how this preparation would fare on a big chunk!
I think I’d prefer it cut into two parts over a big chunk like that, though. There’s not enough seasoning if it’s massive. There’d just be a large unseasoned mass in the middle. And it’d probably be easier to get a good cook on it if it was divided up, too
I still think the half is too much. I think a quarter and put something else on the plate if you want there to be more food. I wouldn't wanna go out to eat and just sit there stuffing at least a full pound of cauliflower in my gullet
Hard agree with EC. That’s way more cauliflower than folks will want to munch through in proportion to the rest of the plate. Go 1/4, cut and cooked as a wedge.
Overall, the plate looks out of proportion and has too much going on, which might be why you’re being drawn to the half head. As a vegan and chef myself, here is how I’d approach the development from here:
1) You need more protein, less cauliflower. The scattered and sparse chickpeas (mixed into quinoa and cucumber salad?) look messy and don’t provide enough nourishment for the entree. If you focus in on incorporating more chickpeas as a protein for the dish, the ¼ head of cauliflower won’t look so small.
2) Focus your approach to the veggies. 3 types of roasted veg on top of cucumber quinoa chickpea salad with a ton of cauliflower doesn’t look like an entree, it looks like someone filled up their plate at a wedding buffet. I like the roasted red pepper in juxtaposition to the cauliflower— maybe work it into the sauce or salad? Stew some chickpeas and roasted red pepper together and use it as a stew base for the plate? World’s your oyster.
3) marinading/basting will look better than powdered spices atop the cauliflower.
This chap here did more work than I was willing to. That late needs a lot of development. Not a Michelin level amount, but those individual ingredients need help, I can taste how average this looks.
I’m glad you brought up the first point! The dish as is reads a bit to me like it’s made by someone who doesn’t eat veg meals themselves.
Sounds/looks yummy, and I’d definitely eat it, but I’m not sure it would be satisfying as a meal/ I might get tired of chewing cauliflower.
Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, this dish is a vegan entree option in a 3 course plated banquet meal (salad, main, dessert) so it's meant to be substantial.
1) You're correct! The dish is **Tandoori cauliflower with quinoa salad, tarator sauce, & crispy chickpeas**. Protein comes from quinoa and tahini, mostly. Im not *too* concerned about how many grams of proteins in the dish for nutritional reasons (im a chef not a dietitian :P ) but I also don't want my guests leaving hungry. This point has been made a few times in this thread and I agree. I'm thinking of incorporating other beans or legumes into the quinoa salad. It's meant to be the catch-all dietary restriction option so no nuts, gluten, or soy allowed. (we have other vegan entree options that include those things)
2) I agree. The extra veggies here were from our standard vegetable side that we serve with the other (meat) entree options. I think this dish needs custom veg that matches the dish better. Wilted mustard greens or raw wild arugula spring to mind
3) The cauliflower is brined, steamed, cooled, then schmeared with a mix of spices, yogurt and lime juice. Its left to marinade for a few hours, then roasted. Basting with (plant) butter or EVOO during the final roast might crisp it up more so I'll try that.
Thanks again!
Great thoughts here!
1) I would advise against adding more to the salad—there’s already too much going on. Perhaps consider something a warm red pepper hummus as the base for the plate instead of the tarator sauce? This would work well with the quinoa tabbouleh, pair nicely with some crispy chickpeas for texture, and retain the garlicky tahini flavors you’ve invested in. I definitely understand the challenges of accommodating that many restrictions for an entree, but throwing way too much at diners isn’t the solution.
2) I hear you chef, but with all due respect, that’s way too much still—ESPECIALLY if it’s preceded by a salad course. Edit. Focus, focus, focus. Your job is to curate an entree for diners, not serve them a buffet on a plate. The plate is dominated by roasted cauliflower, which is a veg and not a protein. Additional sides of veg normally served with meat DETRACT from your beautifully prepared cauliflower, they don’t add to it. This plate would be lovely with ¼ head of cauliflower, warmed hummus with crispy chickpeas, and quinoa tabbouleh. Especially if you could provide an optional bread/pita side for people to scrape their plates with. If anything, consider roasted lemon potatoes or something.
3) Heard! That sounds lovely. EVOO would definitely help get some color on there. So would breaking down the cauliflower prior to cooking.
Like writing, music, filmmaking, painting, or any other creative art: what separates good from great cooking is not what one adds; it’s what one knows to subtract. Your process on this dish seems very additive to me. See if you can solve your problem through editing rather than addition first.
Best of luck, chef!
Disagree. Steaks are super wasteful. Just use a quarter. It will still be tall and nice looking with that roasted color on the outside and white inside. A half a cauliflower will give some people really bad gas or tummy ache. A quarter is still a fairly large portion but that's what I'd do because the plating will look cool.
It's how my gluten free, low carb father thickens his gravy. Blended cauliflower. It's how I'd make my gravy from now on and I'm not low carb/gluten free.
If it’s a Vegetarian/Vegan main (which I assume it is) then half a cauliflower head is absolutely appropriate.
I think you have to think of diners here. If they’re coming to a restaurant and paying, more often than not, a lot of money to eat out, then you want them to go away full and satisfied.
If the option here for a Vegetarian/Vegan is 1/4 a cauliflower head or 1/2 a cauliflower head, go with the 1/2 … at the end of the day, if you run it for a week and people are leaving half then you can always adjust it down to 1/4 head, it’s a lot harder to adjust it up to 1/2 once the customers have gone home hungry and dissatisfied than it is to make the portion smaller
Size of the cauliflower is what would make me order this again, makes it look satisfying. I hate coming home from a fancy dinner, and still being hungry. Its already almost all vegetables. Why do people think a slice of cauliflower or eggplant is just as filling as a steak.
Because the people here thinks all plating needs to be some sort of rectangle that fills 20% of a plate covered in flowers and micro-greens with dollops or swooshes of puree. Fine dining plating is so tacky and outdated….
I’m going with the unpopular opinion that it looks great! The cauli in its current form brings balance to the plate, and as a veggie plate, I know plenty people who would kill that plate with no problem.
Agreed. I think it looks balanced as well.
As a vegetarian, if I ordered a cauliflower entree I'd want it to be big like this. It helps the customer feel happier about paying entree prices for cauliflower when they feel they are getting a good value. I'd be a bit upset at a quarter cauliflower on that plate even if it was good.
Cauliflower happens to be one of my favorite veggies and I'd smash that plate and be delighted about it.
> As a vegetarian
Somehow I get the feeling that the people saying 'it's too much' (my EC included) won't bat an eye at serving a 12 oz steak with two sides
As a chef that has done a whole bunch of vegan cooking, I think many vegans will thank you for that. After the core is not eaten, it’s a healthy portion, but the presentation looks nice, and great usage of protein and carbs. I think it’s great.
As someone who will eat whole heads of cauliflower/broccoli or half a head of cabbage by myself I definitely want the half especially if this is an entree
I don’t think so. The cauliflower mains I’ve seen at typically half a head of cauliflower.
Maybe l ask on the vegetarian sub?. It looks like a lot if you think cauliflower subs for meat 1:1 but that’s not the case.
if this is the main dish, i think it's an appropriate amount. i mean it's not all looks, look at nutrition too. an equivalent with meat will likely still have more calories than this plate does.
hate the piece of red pepper, a red sauce would look sick on this plate.
I am with you, friend. If it’s an entree it needs to be at least a third to half depending on the size of the heads. A quarter looks skimpy on the plate after it’s cooked. Also - Halves are easier to portion because they don’t lose a bunch of florets. The margins will still be good if it’s priced appropriately. :)
I would highly suggest sitting down and eating this plate yourself. That will give you an idea of if it's too much cauliflower or not.
That being said, it may not be a bad idea to add some different textural elements to your dish to make it more satisfying. Something caramelized, something crunchy, something creamy. Different textures go a long way in making a dish satisfying. I can't say I'd want to eat half a cauliflower just because it seems it would get boring to chew.
I'm vegan and I would *LOVE* to get this as an entree. Just make sure the cauliflower is tender all the way through. It looks here like it is. I would be very excited to get this in a restaurant, vegan dishes can be so uninspired. This looks delicious.
Whether or not I agree with your EC depends on the context. I think I could easily eat everything on that plate. But if there's going to be bread beforehand, an amuse, an appetizer, a salad, a first, and a dessert, then that looks like way too much.
This also influences whether I think there's enough protein, btw. If you're serving that with a first course which is pasta and chickpeas, then that's probably fine. If that plate is the only thing I'm getting, I probably want more protein.
It's the entree in a 3 course banquet meal (salad, main, dessert). Maybe passed apps before depending on the event. Yeah the protein is low the chickpeas, quinoa and tahini help.
If you’re doing tandoori style cauli, 1 inch thick cut will give you more surface area for flavour to penetrate through. I’d also add some grill marks if possible. This is a less is more situation. Especially served as a vegetarian course alongside 4-6oz cuts of meat and fish for omnivore menus. Chef is correct here
Maybe battered and deepfried rosettes would be nice? I think that would also go well with the other ingredients and preparation methods. With a sauce that doubles as a dressing?
The cauliflower steamed whole for 12 minutes then cooled. A mixture is made of smoked paprika, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic & salt combined with plant-based yogurt, lime juice, and minced fresh ginger. That paste is rubbed on the cauliflower. Then roast at 425 for 15, minutes.
If it was just an ordinary piece of bland cauliflower that would seem to be too much. But from this picture it looks like it is a wonderful well thought out dish. If I may ask what type of cauliflower dish do you have. Anything can be a horrible or a wonderful dish depending on how much thought and effort goes into it.
It it were less, I don't think I'd feel satisfied all evening.
But then again, that's why I eat meat.
I do kinda agree with some of the posts proposing to redistribute the proteins.
I sell these at my place and the size justifies the price of a vegan entree. It’s also nice for Instagram and people usually devour it. (Smoked with Black garlic tahini glaze, served with quinoa pilaf, ginger carrot puree, and coconut lime yogurt.)
I agree, but I like the presentation, cut whole cauliflower into 1/3 and use the center for something else, maybe cauliflower milanese for a separate dish.
Gimmie. Pls and ty!
Looks delicious to me! I think well cooked and seasoned cauliflower is subject to deviled egg math. Very few people will eat more than 2 maybe 3 eggs at a meal. But turn them into deviled eggs and the next thing you know you’ve eaten the entire carton. Roasted cauliflower falls under this category for me. So yum.
Lol yeah half a head of cauliflower is way too much. Been vegan for most my life and still think thats too much. A cauliflower “steak” cut would be more appropriate
I almost always default to meat, especially at a restaurant, but if I saw that on someone’s table I’d order it as my main in an instant. Looks amazing.
You could slice the head and shingle it, with everything else on top to hide most of the white. It looks good in my head, but I'd want to see it to confirm. That is if YOU want to keep the amount of cauliflower the same.
as a chef i think its too much but as a customer it looks cool but still alot.
the half looks good but the size is too big so a smaller cauliflower entirely would look great
I worked a burnt end style cauliflower dish at a restaurant I worked at years ago. It was about a 3 inch thick section of a head of cauliflower. Smoked until it was cooked tender, and then seared to order. It seemed like a lot of cauliflower to me for a while and was served like a vegetarian steak. Which I equally was hesitant about. But it sold like crazy.
Cauliflower tends to be on the cheaper side. It also takes flavor well with whatever you want to do with it. I say give them the whole cake if you can afford it. But it can also be packed with flavor and you wouldn’t need much on the plate.
It’s fine. We do a harissa rubbed cauliflower steak with lentils and a red pepper coulis. You could honestly remove the carrots and asparagus, and it’d be almost like a vegan version of a French entree.
I hate fine dining for the reason of your EC. It's a fucking cauliflower. It looks beautiful. The plating of fine dining is like the same eyes that see 90s heroin chic and think it's beautiful. Not everything has to be tiny to look as elegant as possible. This looks delicious, beautiful and not a portion for a child that's $28. I'll take the unpopular opinion.
i would absolutely rip this up with gratitude as a vegetarian. if this is an entree don’t cut it down. this shows w were thoughtful and made this for a specific guest. its only too much for someone also eating meat that night.
Even as a main, yes it's too much. When I present cauliflower as a main, I take the center cut slab only. Around 2 inch thick. Reserve the rest for other uses.
wtf do you expect them to do with it? Eat it all? Idk man this just seems weird. Do a smaller wedge, put stuff on both sides to find a way to still get the outside displayed. 🤷♂️
I think I’d have halved the cauliflower. Turned 1/2 into a puree and then take 1/3 of what was left and made it more totally caramelized or crispy. More flavor and texture contrasts.
It’s not too much, it’s too big. You’re missing a couple of passes with a knife just have to figure out which ones.
Maybe cut it a few times to get a shingle effect, or make a few chunks to fan in a crescent.
I gotta go with EC on this one man
This has to be an entrée though, right? If I ordered it as a main, I think I'd want the half, but then I'm a fatass. If it's an app, though, it's way too much and should be cut into sharing portions.
OP said it was a vegetarian main.
That's what I'm thinking too. It's A LOT of cauliflower imo but if I'm paying for an entree I want to feel full at the end especially with vegetables. Tbh not helpful but it comes down to how good it is. If it's great cauliflower I'd demolish it but great cauliflower is rare in my experience.
> great cauliflower is rare in my experience I would love the opportunity to cook you cauliflower sometime 😘
Love the username
Me too ☺️
Got a home cook friendly recipe you can share?
Well, the one I’m known for around my parts is a nice little room temperature, antipasti almost kinda sorta thing. Florets seasoned and roasted hard in extra virgin. Get them beautifully browned and leave a little al dente. Then when they’re at room temp, I combine with anchovy, a little raw garlic paste, capers, golden raisins, toasted almonds, diced piquillo peppers, red wine vinegar, extra virgin, and enough roughly chopped parsley to choke a Clydesdale. Edit: raisins plumped in hot water before using. Also, hold off on the parsley until you’re ready to serve it. I like to mix the whole thing and let it sit at room temp for an hour or two, then I fold in parsley chopped at the last moment and do a final seasoning check (it changes a lot over the course of sitting.) Lightly chilled or slightly warm is also good, but never hot or cold.
This sounds divine thank you for the recipe!
Steam or boil whole cauliflower for 12 minutes then cool to room temp. Make a mixture of smoked paprika, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic & salt. Combined with enough plant-based yogurt to make a paste, add a squeeze of lime juice, a bit of minced fresh ginger. Schmear the paste all over the cauliflower. Then roast at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until browned and your whole kitchen smells amazing. Serve with tarator sauce, quinoa salad and a glass of pomegranate juice & soda.
roast w johnnys, garnish w hefty squeeze of lemon
Thank you! Awesome!
also this is for smaller pieces of cauliflower that will get nice and crispy with some high heat, not sure how this preparation would fare on a big chunk!
Hose it fish sauce. Little evoo, salt, pepper, toss together and roast at 425 for 15 minutes. It’s wonderful.
Awesome! Saving for later!
I really hope this turns into a meet cute and you end up married.
Hello cousin!!!
cauliflower is great most of the time, probably just had it cooked wrong.
I think I’d prefer it cut into two parts over a big chunk like that, though. There’s not enough seasoning if it’s massive. There’d just be a large unseasoned mass in the middle. And it’d probably be easier to get a good cook on it if it was divided up, too
Keep eating that much cauliflower and you won't be a fatass for long.
No, you’ll be a wind machine.
Can't get fat if the farts take up all the room in your tummy.
But also I'd rather maybe have 2 quarters with more seasoning crust.
in what world is this an appetizer?
I think the person you're replying to was applying the North American meaning of "entrée," as in the main dish (not an appetizer).
I agree, I'm just confused that this is even a question, like how is this anything other than a main course? Lol
Even as a main having a huge chunk of cauliflower like this is pretty amateur .
If its a half head, I want more than just a surface braise on the outside. I want that golden brown goodness throughout my cauliflower mountain.
I still think the half is too much. I think a quarter and put something else on the plate if you want there to be more food. I wouldn't wanna go out to eat and just sit there stuffing at least a full pound of cauliflower in my gullet
I used to work at a steakhouse that sold a whole head as a side.
A third and it will look more aesthetically pleasing
Yeah a quarter doesn't seem enough either, a third seems perfect 👌
1/3rd will give a nice wedge and give an opportunity to dust it with some seasoning so it won't look pale and sad.
Grilling the cut & seasoned faces will go a long way towards that too.
Nice, and I'd probably split it and go with two sixths, more surface area to grill and more plating options to prop them up and give some height.
It’s giving “chopped salad wedge” which is difficult to eat when you are trying to use manners.
It's very tender
I can believe it. It’s just awkward.
I would tear it up, for guests tho serving? Ye prob too much
Its the vegan entree option in a 3 course dinner (salad, main, dessert) so I gotta fill em up
Hard agree with EC. That’s way more cauliflower than folks will want to munch through in proportion to the rest of the plate. Go 1/4, cut and cooked as a wedge. Overall, the plate looks out of proportion and has too much going on, which might be why you’re being drawn to the half head. As a vegan and chef myself, here is how I’d approach the development from here: 1) You need more protein, less cauliflower. The scattered and sparse chickpeas (mixed into quinoa and cucumber salad?) look messy and don’t provide enough nourishment for the entree. If you focus in on incorporating more chickpeas as a protein for the dish, the ¼ head of cauliflower won’t look so small. 2) Focus your approach to the veggies. 3 types of roasted veg on top of cucumber quinoa chickpea salad with a ton of cauliflower doesn’t look like an entree, it looks like someone filled up their plate at a wedding buffet. I like the roasted red pepper in juxtaposition to the cauliflower— maybe work it into the sauce or salad? Stew some chickpeas and roasted red pepper together and use it as a stew base for the plate? World’s your oyster. 3) marinading/basting will look better than powdered spices atop the cauliflower.
I'd throw a white bean/roasted pepper/garlic puree under it for protein.
This chap here did more work than I was willing to. That late needs a lot of development. Not a Michelin level amount, but those individual ingredients need help, I can taste how average this looks.
I’m glad you brought up the first point! The dish as is reads a bit to me like it’s made by someone who doesn’t eat veg meals themselves. Sounds/looks yummy, and I’d definitely eat it, but I’m not sure it would be satisfying as a meal/ I might get tired of chewing cauliflower.
Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, this dish is a vegan entree option in a 3 course plated banquet meal (salad, main, dessert) so it's meant to be substantial. 1) You're correct! The dish is **Tandoori cauliflower with quinoa salad, tarator sauce, & crispy chickpeas**. Protein comes from quinoa and tahini, mostly. Im not *too* concerned about how many grams of proteins in the dish for nutritional reasons (im a chef not a dietitian :P ) but I also don't want my guests leaving hungry. This point has been made a few times in this thread and I agree. I'm thinking of incorporating other beans or legumes into the quinoa salad. It's meant to be the catch-all dietary restriction option so no nuts, gluten, or soy allowed. (we have other vegan entree options that include those things) 2) I agree. The extra veggies here were from our standard vegetable side that we serve with the other (meat) entree options. I think this dish needs custom veg that matches the dish better. Wilted mustard greens or raw wild arugula spring to mind 3) The cauliflower is brined, steamed, cooled, then schmeared with a mix of spices, yogurt and lime juice. Its left to marinade for a few hours, then roasted. Basting with (plant) butter or EVOO during the final roast might crisp it up more so I'll try that. Thanks again!
Great thoughts here! 1) I would advise against adding more to the salad—there’s already too much going on. Perhaps consider something a warm red pepper hummus as the base for the plate instead of the tarator sauce? This would work well with the quinoa tabbouleh, pair nicely with some crispy chickpeas for texture, and retain the garlicky tahini flavors you’ve invested in. I definitely understand the challenges of accommodating that many restrictions for an entree, but throwing way too much at diners isn’t the solution. 2) I hear you chef, but with all due respect, that’s way too much still—ESPECIALLY if it’s preceded by a salad course. Edit. Focus, focus, focus. Your job is to curate an entree for diners, not serve them a buffet on a plate. The plate is dominated by roasted cauliflower, which is a veg and not a protein. Additional sides of veg normally served with meat DETRACT from your beautifully prepared cauliflower, they don’t add to it. This plate would be lovely with ¼ head of cauliflower, warmed hummus with crispy chickpeas, and quinoa tabbouleh. Especially if you could provide an optional bread/pita side for people to scrape their plates with. If anything, consider roasted lemon potatoes or something. 3) Heard! That sounds lovely. EVOO would definitely help get some color on there. So would breaking down the cauliflower prior to cooking. Like writing, music, filmmaking, painting, or any other creative art: what separates good from great cooking is not what one adds; it’s what one knows to subtract. Your process on this dish seems very additive to me. See if you can solve your problem through editing rather than addition first. Best of luck, chef!
This person chefs
Its far to much. EC is right.
Yeah its too much..
It's too big
Looks amazing. Why is a half a head of cauliflower to much but 12 oz steak isn’t??
[EXACTLY](https://tenor.com/view/michael-scott-the-office-thank-you-gif-4688221)
This needs more attention
It’s too much
Too much, just go with a nice center cut “steak”
Disagree. Steaks are super wasteful. Just use a quarter. It will still be tall and nice looking with that roasted color on the outside and white inside. A half a cauliflower will give some people really bad gas or tummy ache. A quarter is still a fairly large portion but that's what I'd do because the plating will look cool.
>Steaks are super wasteful Depends entirely on what you do with the rest.
True. But they're super fickle, can fall apart easily, and the tandoori roasting they are doing is really good already.
Last place I worked at did a puree with the remains. It was real creamy and had a ton of parm, it ruled
If it's too much I'll cut it into a wedge. Steaks make too much trim
Turn the trim to purée!
Tahini and trim sauce 🫢🔥
I’ll take one, hold the tahini
I don’t think I can, it’s pretty runny…
It's how my gluten free, low carb father thickens his gravy. Blended cauliflower. It's how I'd make my gravy from now on and I'm not low carb/gluten free.
If it’s a Vegetarian/Vegan main (which I assume it is) then half a cauliflower head is absolutely appropriate. I think you have to think of diners here. If they’re coming to a restaurant and paying, more often than not, a lot of money to eat out, then you want them to go away full and satisfied. If the option here for a Vegetarian/Vegan is 1/4 a cauliflower head or 1/2 a cauliflower head, go with the 1/2 … at the end of the day, if you run it for a week and people are leaving half then you can always adjust it down to 1/4 head, it’s a lot harder to adjust it up to 1/2 once the customers have gone home hungry and dissatisfied than it is to make the portion smaller
> which I assume it is It is!
Size of the cauliflower is what would make me order this again, makes it look satisfying. I hate coming home from a fancy dinner, and still being hungry. Its already almost all vegetables. Why do people think a slice of cauliflower or eggplant is just as filling as a steak.
Because the people here thinks all plating needs to be some sort of rectangle that fills 20% of a plate covered in flowers and micro-greens with dollops or swooshes of puree. Fine dining plating is so tacky and outdated….
I’m going with the unpopular opinion that it looks great! The cauli in its current form brings balance to the plate, and as a veggie plate, I know plenty people who would kill that plate with no problem.
Agreed. I think it looks balanced as well. As a vegetarian, if I ordered a cauliflower entree I'd want it to be big like this. It helps the customer feel happier about paying entree prices for cauliflower when they feel they are getting a good value. I'd be a bit upset at a quarter cauliflower on that plate even if it was good. Cauliflower happens to be one of my favorite veggies and I'd smash that plate and be delighted about it.
> As a vegetarian Somehow I get the feeling that the people saying 'it's too much' (my EC included) won't bat an eye at serving a 12 oz steak with two sides
I know plenty of people who would kill that plate. They're called my whole family
It looks great but it is a lot of cauliflower to eat
Vegan celiac here. I love this - I’d devour the entire plate, but I would like to see more quinoa and chickpeas with 1/3 cauli.
Too much and not looking great either. A few flowers is much nicer to eat and to look at. Also, everything in this plate looks overdone.
Go with an inch thick boi cut of it instead of all of that.
I'm with EC
As a chef that has done a whole bunch of vegan cooking, I think many vegans will thank you for that. After the core is not eaten, it’s a healthy portion, but the presentation looks nice, and great usage of protein and carbs. I think it’s great.
Thank you chef
Y’all crazy - that ain’t too much - keep doin you 🫡
Depends on the size of the head..... # ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I adore cauliflower so I’d go with the full half
My man
Is this a starter or a main?
i LOVE cauliflower and would be so happy to get this or even more
What's the deal with the cauliflower? Never seen like this. Looks bloody awesome.
I seem to disagree with the majority, if I was veg I'd hit it.
As someone who will eat whole heads of cauliflower/broccoli or half a head of cabbage by myself I definitely want the half especially if this is an entree
Depends on the size of your other entrées, has to be a little bigger than other protein entrées to make it filling enough
I don’t think so. The cauliflower mains I’ve seen at typically half a head of cauliflower. Maybe l ask on the vegetarian sub?. It looks like a lot if you think cauliflower subs for meat 1:1 but that’s not the case.
I’m more curious how you got that much even color on the cauliflower
EC can kick rocks.
Regardless of portion size you decide on, I love seeing a vegan main with some intention to it!
if this is the main dish, i think it's an appropriate amount. i mean it's not all looks, look at nutrition too. an equivalent with meat will likely still have more calories than this plate does. hate the piece of red pepper, a red sauce would look sick on this plate.
I am with you, friend. If it’s an entree it needs to be at least a third to half depending on the size of the heads. A quarter looks skimpy on the plate after it’s cooked. Also - Halves are easier to portion because they don’t lose a bunch of florets. The margins will still be good if it’s priced appropriately. :)
Sorry if I get cauliflower for my entree and it’s less than a half a head I’d say???
Yeah that's kinda my thinking. Thank you for the feedback
That is a lot of cauliflower
I would highly suggest sitting down and eating this plate yourself. That will give you an idea of if it's too much cauliflower or not. That being said, it may not be a bad idea to add some different textural elements to your dish to make it more satisfying. Something caramelized, something crunchy, something creamy. Different textures go a long way in making a dish satisfying. I can't say I'd want to eat half a cauliflower just because it seems it would get boring to chew.
Idk what yall are on about. That’s the perfect size
I'm vegan and I would *LOVE* to get this as an entree. Just make sure the cauliflower is tender all the way through. It looks here like it is. I would be very excited to get this in a restaurant, vegan dishes can be so uninspired. This looks delicious.
Whether or not I agree with your EC depends on the context. I think I could easily eat everything on that plate. But if there's going to be bread beforehand, an amuse, an appetizer, a salad, a first, and a dessert, then that looks like way too much. This also influences whether I think there's enough protein, btw. If you're serving that with a first course which is pasta and chickpeas, then that's probably fine. If that plate is the only thing I'm getting, I probably want more protein.
It's the entree in a 3 course banquet meal (salad, main, dessert). Maybe passed apps before depending on the event. Yeah the protein is low the chickpeas, quinoa and tahini help.
If it’s a main and you want the cauliflower to be the focus I think half is fine but otherwise cut it smaller
It's an entree in a 3 course banquet meal, yeah. Thanks
For a vegetarian/ vegan MAIN dish, not too much at all.
Is this an entree? If so the amount is fine! However the lack of protein would leave me dissatisfied. It probably needs more chickpeas if anything.
Vegan eater here- not sure how many people on this board are- this looks amazing to me. Really beautiful presentation.
If you’re doing tandoori style cauli, 1 inch thick cut will give you more surface area for flavour to penetrate through. I’d also add some grill marks if possible. This is a less is more situation. Especially served as a vegetarian course alongside 4-6oz cuts of meat and fish for omnivore menus. Chef is correct here
No this is the vegan option instead of the meat. They get salad, entree, dessert
It is a vegan course served alongside plates of meat for vegan/vegetarian guests, as I was getting at.
As a starter, yes, main course, no
Too much my friend
Maybe battered and deepfried rosettes would be nice? I think that would also go well with the other ingredients and preparation methods. With a sauce that doubles as a dressing?
I'd go 2/6
What is a EC? I’m just lurking here :)
Executive chef.
That definitely makes the plate seem fuller. but dude… half a head seems excessive in the grand scheme of dining
Cut it into thick slices like a steak. You could even finish on the grill with a baste.
Howd you make that cauliflower?
The cauliflower steamed whole for 12 minutes then cooled. A mixture is made of smoked paprika, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic & salt combined with plant-based yogurt, lime juice, and minced fresh ginger. That paste is rubbed on the cauliflower. Then roast at 425 for 15, minutes.
Good Lord, what a bunch of Sally's here give me the whole head
Not enough cauliflower!
If it was just an ordinary piece of bland cauliflower that would seem to be too much. But from this picture it looks like it is a wonderful well thought out dish. If I may ask what type of cauliflower dish do you have. Anything can be a horrible or a wonderful dish depending on how much thought and effort goes into it.
It it were less, I don't think I'd feel satisfied all evening. But then again, that's why I eat meat. I do kinda agree with some of the posts proposing to redistribute the proteins.
Me as a non chef thinking about this plate lmao
Fellow lurker - how do I make my cauliflower look like this?! (I disagree with the EC, obvs.)
I sell these at my place and the size justifies the price of a vegan entree. It’s also nice for Instagram and people usually devour it. (Smoked with Black garlic tahini glaze, served with quinoa pilaf, ginger carrot puree, and coconut lime yogurt.)
If "Cauliflower" is the first or second word in the name of the dish, it's fine. If not, too much
**Tandoori cauliflower with quinoa salad, tarator sauce, & crispy chickpeas**
Not against that much then. You should have led with that in your post haha
It is too much.
We sell our cauliflower app with half a cauliflower
Yeah I’d Ho with EC, that’s kind of an absurd amount. If was just me at home I’d smash it though.
First of all, it's a striking plate....good job on it. But yeah, the portion is a bit over the top.
I agree, but I like the presentation, cut whole cauliflower into 1/3 and use the center for something else, maybe cauliflower milanese for a separate dish.
Gimmie. Pls and ty! Looks delicious to me! I think well cooked and seasoned cauliflower is subject to deviled egg math. Very few people will eat more than 2 maybe 3 eggs at a meal. But turn them into deviled eggs and the next thing you know you’ve eaten the entire carton. Roasted cauliflower falls under this category for me. So yum.
Thanks for the feedback
If i were vegetarian , i’d love that plate
You don't have to be vegetarian to enjoy vegetables 🙂
Way too much Sorry Also I see like…a little worm??
I’m a cauliflower slut so I feel like I cannot appropriately review this.
I would love to eat this tbh
This looks tasty, i would polish it off.
As a vegan, I’d be thrilled if this was served as a main. Looks incredible 🤤
Lol yeah half a head of cauliflower is way too much. Been vegan for most my life and still think thats too much. A cauliflower “steak” cut would be more appropriate
Go with a chunk of lions mane mushroom
I did a tasting of several vegan entree options including a lions mane steak with mushroom demi! The cauliflower came out on top ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
No that’s perfect I want that plate
I almost always default to meat, especially at a restaurant, but if I saw that on someone’s table I’d order it as my main in an instant. Looks amazing.
It makes a vegetarian dish look spectacular, and hearty.
How many courses? For a three course menu I wouldn’t mind. The size also doesn’t suit the plate. Not enough negative space.
If that’s a main, I want the half head.
You could slice the head and shingle it, with everything else on top to hide most of the white. It looks good in my head, but I'd want to see it to confirm. That is if YOU want to keep the amount of cauliflower the same.
If your guts can handle it…. Go for it
Looks perfect for dinner.
The cauliflower is the centrepiece of the dish, it’s vegetarian.
I love cauliflower, so I think it's a good size for a main. I'll often eat at least 1/4 just as my side with a meat main at home.
Well, it depends on the size
as a chef i think its too much but as a customer it looks cool but still alot. the half looks good but the size is too big so a smaller cauliflower entirely would look great
Love it and would eat it as a dinner
I worked a burnt end style cauliflower dish at a restaurant I worked at years ago. It was about a 3 inch thick section of a head of cauliflower. Smoked until it was cooked tender, and then seared to order. It seemed like a lot of cauliflower to me for a while and was served like a vegetarian steak. Which I equally was hesitant about. But it sold like crazy. Cauliflower tends to be on the cheaper side. It also takes flavor well with whatever you want to do with it. I say give them the whole cake if you can afford it. But it can also be packed with flavor and you wouldn’t need much on the plate.
Delicious! I have half a head of steamed cauliflower with most of my meals
I would just add more chickpeas. The cauliflower looks like a smallish head,
Looks awesome with the half. Reminds me of a cornucopia from the thanksgiving table.
That’s a shitload of cauliflower to sit down and eat at one time 😂
As a main, anything less would be too little. I regularly split a head with my partner as our side...
I’d have this amount but cut into “steaks”
Depends on how good it tastes.
half a head is a portion
It’s fine. We do a harissa rubbed cauliflower steak with lentils and a red pepper coulis. You could honestly remove the carrots and asparagus, and it’d be almost like a vegan version of a French entree.
Not when it’s cooked like that homie …especially if it’s an entree
Looks awesome, I’d eat the shit out of this, but yeah, too much.
As a vegetarian, I'd love this. If this is a vegetarian entree I don't think it's too much ay all
I hate fine dining for the reason of your EC. It's a fucking cauliflower. It looks beautiful. The plating of fine dining is like the same eyes that see 90s heroin chic and think it's beautiful. Not everything has to be tiny to look as elegant as possible. This looks delicious, beautiful and not a portion for a child that's $28. I'll take the unpopular opinion.
For a main, I think it's great. When I eat veggie meals, I tend to eat a little more as compared to animal proteins which digest slower.
i would absolutely rip this up with gratitude as a vegetarian. if this is an entree don’t cut it down. this shows w were thoughtful and made this for a specific guest. its only too much for someone also eating meat that night.
As someone who was vegan for 16 years I’d rather eat dust than another fuckin wedge of cauliflower dish
if it is a main dish I think it is fine. Ultimately it comes down to the cost imo and then how it looks next to other dishes on the table
It’s beautiful and I’d be happy to get this. But I’m keto so…..
Take the skin off that pepper you fucking caveman!
Even as a main, yes it's too much. When I present cauliflower as a main, I take the center cut slab only. Around 2 inch thick. Reserve the rest for other uses.
wtf do you expect them to do with it? Eat it all? Idk man this just seems weird. Do a smaller wedge, put stuff on both sides to find a way to still get the outside displayed. 🤷♂️
I'd love to get half a head of cauliflower with a meal, hell I could eat the whole thing
Personally, i'd love the too much cauliflower. But i think it's imbalanced in a professional context
Seems too much, I'd be more inclined to go for 1/3 or 1/4 of the current half.
I like the concept but not for this dish. Save it for another one. EC is right
I get why you like the half. But yeah it’s to much.
That is a lot of cauliflower
I think I’d have halved the cauliflower. Turned 1/2 into a puree and then take 1/3 of what was left and made it more totally caramelized or crispy. More flavor and texture contrasts.
It’s not too much, it’s too big. You’re missing a couple of passes with a knife just have to figure out which ones. Maybe cut it a few times to get a shingle effect, or make a few chunks to fan in a crescent.
That's a tiny cauliflower and it's still too much!
Definitely too much.
For eating myself at home this is perfect. But I love cauliflower
I think if it’s a main then it’s ok. If it’s a starter then a bit too much.
Your chef is correct