The new season of Queer Eye has been released on Netflix and we’ve already watched all eight episodes – so why not try out this exciting recipe from one of the show’s main stars, Tan France.
What Is Queer Eye?
Tan France is an American chef who was born in Atlanta but now lives and works in New York City with his husband Jonathan Van Ness (of The Toilet Paper Girls).
He also happens to be a self-proclaimed “queer man” or as he puts it himself, “a gay man who loves other men.”
Queer Eye focuses on five friends living together in their own house and each episode follows them through different tasks they complete together while trying to make their home more attractive and inviting.
For example, in Episode 1, the guys go shopping for furniture and decorate the room where they are going to live after moving into their new house.
One task involves making a meal using only ingredients found in the pantry.
This particular recipe uses cauliflower instead of beef which makes it the perfect candidate for our next recipe!
Cauliflower can easily replace meat due to its high nutritional value and low fat content.
In fact, compared to ground beef, cauliflower contains less protein per serving and fewer calories overall.
If you want to up your veggie intake, try adding some quinoa or brown rice to your meals.
What Is Cauliflower?
Cauliflower (botanical name: Brassica oleracea) is an annual vegetable in the cabbage family with a distinctive head consisting of white or purple florets surrounded by leafy green stalks.
There are two varieties of cauliflower: ‘broccolini’ and ‘cauliflower’.
Broccoli rabe (or rapini), also known as broccoli raab, is a member of the same species Brassica oleracea but it has a different appearance.
The stems are longer than those of regular broccoli and have a bitter taste.
They grow into long thin stalks which are sometimes called Italian kale.
Broccoli raab can be eaten raw or cooked.
Cauliflower looks like a big head of broccoli with its pale-green leaves and tiny flower heads.
Like other members of the brassica family such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi and turnip, cauliflowers are rich in nutrients including vitamins C, B1, B6, E, K, folate, calcium, iron and potassium.
These vegetables contain low levels of fat and sodium and are considered healthy foods because they provide essential nutrients without increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes or cancer.
As well as being delicious served simply steamed or boiled, you could try adding some flavour to your dishes with some of these tasty recipes below:
- Roasted cauliflower soup
- Crispy fried cauliflower sticks
- Cauliflower rice
- Cauliflower cheese
What Is A Steak Recipe?
Steak recipes are often quite straightforward but there are some extra steps involved when making a beef-based meal like this.
First off, we need to ensure our meat is well marinated with salt and pepper before cooking it in order to get a nice crusty outside.
If possible, choose a cut of beef such as top round or sirloin.
These cuts have more fat than other steaks which means they will be juicier once cooked.
Next up, let’s talk about how to cook your steak.
The best way to ensure tenderness throughout the entire piece of meat is to sear it on high heat in a pan.
Once seared on both sides, place it back into the oven where it can finish cooking while resting.
You should also consider adding some oil to the pan during the initial stage to prevent sticking.
For serving, we recommend using a vegetable peeler to shave thick ribbons of cauliflower across the plate.
As always, garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
How Do You Make A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
Queer Eye is an American reality television series hosted by former NFL player Antoni Porowski, fashion designer Karla Welch, interior stylist Jonathan Van Ness, chef Bobby Flay, and makeup artist Carson Kressley, who each tackle a different aspect of “fixing up” someone living with a disability or mental illness.
The fourth episode, titled “Cauliflower Steak,” features Tan France as his own personal trainer.
In this episode, which airs January 18, 2021, French attempts to teach a group of men how to cook a perfect “cauliflower steak” using a method he learned in culinary school.
He starts off by cutting the head of cauliflower into small wedges, then adds some salt and pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, lemon juice, and butter until it resembles a steak texture.
French also instructs them to add more salt and pepper if needed, but to be careful about over-seasoning because they want to maintain the integrity of the flavor profile while still getting a good sear on their steaks.
To create the steak, French cuts the cauliflower into slices like a steak, and places them onto a pan with a little bit of water.
Then he turns the heat down low and lets everything simmer away, allowing the moisture to evaporate and the cauliflower to caramelize.
Once it looks browned, he flips the slices over and lets them continue to cook until tender.
Finally, he finishes it off with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
If you’re looking for a way to impress your friends or family members, this easy recipe will definitely help.
And since it uses only four basic kitchen tools (a knife, a baking sheet, a skillet, and a microwave), you don’t need any fancy equipment.
Plus, most grocery stores sell pre-cut cauliflower heads, making this even easier!
What Are The Ingredients In A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
This recipe uses four main ingredients: cauliflower steaks, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 1 lb / 500 g)
- 4 cloves of garlic (chopped or crushed)
- 2 tbsp.
- of balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling over the finished product)
- Salt and pepper to taste
To start with, cut off the florets from your cauliflower head.
You can either slice them into small-sized pieces or leave them whole if they’re smaller than 2 inches across.
Next, chop up those florets using whatever method you prefer – I used my food processor but you could also use a knife or mandolin slicer.
Once you have chopped up your florets into bite sized pieces, place them into a bowl.
Add the two tablespoons of vinegar and mix well before adding the three quarters cup of olive oil.
Mix everything together until it resembles wet sand.
Finally, add some salt and pepper to taste.
If you want to get really fancy, you can sprinkle some fresh parsley flakes on top too! But don’t worry if you don’t have any because it’s not necessary.
Now transfer all of these ingredients onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Make sure there’s enough space between each piece of cauliflower to allow them to steam properly during cooking.
Cooking time will vary depending on how large your cauliflower steaks are.
The recommended cooking times are listed below.
How Long Does It Take To Make A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
This recipe takes around 30 minutes to prepare, but as with most dishes you can always speed up certain steps if needed.
For example, you could use pre-chopped vegetables instead of cutting them yourself, or cook your meat first before adding other ingredients.
But remember, there isn’t any hard and fast rule about how long it should take to complete a particular step, especially when you consider different cooking methods (such as baking) versus traditional frying.
So here’s what you need to know…
- You will need:
- A large head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces.
- 1 small onion, diced finely.
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced.
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve.
- 4 tablespoons olive oil.
- Salt & pepper to taste.
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil.
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano.
- Pinch red chili flakes.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400° F / 204° C.
Step 2: Mix together the chopped onions, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, chili flakes with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Let sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3: Toss cauliflower florets with ½ cup of Parmesan cheese until coated well.
Step 4: Spread seasoned cauliflower onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Step 5: Once golden brown, remove from oven and toss with remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese.
Step 6: Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and fry beef strips until cooked to desired doneness.
Step 7: Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley and enjoy!
What Is The Nutritional Value Of A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
This recipe includes plenty of vegetables and meaty ingredients that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
The base of the steak is made up of cauliflower florets which have been cut into small cubes and then roasted until they turn golden brown.
These are combined with lean ground beef, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt before being formed into patties and pan fried.
To finish off this delicious meal, you can serve it with some caramelized onions or steamed broccoli, both of which add extra flavor to your palate while also helping to reduce the overall calorie count.
How Many Calories Are In A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
A queer eye cauliflower steak recipe contains roughly 300 calories per serving (1/4 cup).
The recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of olive oil which adds an additional 100 calories to your meal.
That makes it a total of 400 calories per serving.
It also includes 1 tablespoon butter which adds another 30 calories.
So, if you want to reduce the calorie count even further, omit both oils completely.
You can use 2 teaspoons of non-hydrogenated margarine instead and still get the same flavor and texture as before.
What Are The Health Benefits Of A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe?
A queer eye cauliflower steak recipe is a great way to add some variety to your diet if you haven’t found something else you like yet.
The recipe takes inspiration from the famous Netflix show, with each ingredient chosen to improve the overall taste and texture of the steak.
Queer Eye star, Tan France, is a well-known chef who has previously appeared as a judge on MasterChef Australia.
He also used his cooking skills to cook up a delicious ‘cauliflower steak’ on the show.
According to Healthline, there are several health benefits associated with eating cauliflower steaks – including improved blood sugar levels, reduced risk of heart disease, and weight loss.
Cauliflower contains high amounts of vitamin K which helps to maintain healthy bones and teeth, while it also provides essential nutrients such as folate and magnesium.
Is A Queer Eye Cauliflower Steak Recipe Suitable For Vegetarians?
Vegetarianism isn’t actually an issue here as there is no meat involved in the recipe.
The only thing you need to check before starting is whether or not your kitchen facilities can handle raw garlic.
If it’s too hot then you may want to avoid using it but if temperatures aren’t high enough then you should be fine.
There are also several other ingredients used in this dish which won’t bother those who don’t eat dairy products.
Some people may find these items off-putting when they first see them but once you get used to their taste you will soon forget about them.
If you do decide to give this recipe a go though, remember that the vegetables have been prepped ahead of time so it’ll take around 30 minutes or less to cook everything together.
That means there’s plenty of time to start preparing any side dishes while the meal cooks.
Equipment
- The Oven
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Oven should be heated to 425 degrees.
- To make thick “steaks,” cut the cauliflower horizontally down the middle.
- In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Cauliflower steaks are completely covered in the spice mixture.
- On a baking pan, the steaks should be roasted for 25 minutes, or until done.
- Apply BBQ sauce after removing the food from the oven. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.