Recipe of the week

Crisp, caramelised “cauliflower steaks” have become a fine dining staple, says David Tanis. They’re hard to pull off, but home cooks can achieve a similarly great effect using smaller slices of cauliflower, as in this simple recipe.

Seared cauliflower with anchovy, lemon and capers

Serves 4 ½ cup (125ml) olive oil 3 or 4 chopped anchovy fillets pinch of crushed red pepper two or more minced garlic cloves grated lemon zest chopped capers one cauliflower olive oil salt and pepper to season flat-leaf parsley

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the chopped anchovy fillets and cook slowly over a medium heat until the anchovies have dissolved. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper and the garlic cloves. Turn off the heat and stir in the grated lemon zest and the chopped capers. Set aside. (The sauce is also good with boiled or steamed cauliflower florets.) • Halve and core a cauliflower and cut into small ½-inch thick slices (save the little crumbly bits for another time).

Put two large cast-iron skillets over a mediumhigh heat. Add 2 tbsps of olive oil per pan. Carefully slip the slices into the pans in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and let them brown on the first side for 4 to 5 mins. • Carefully turn them over and cook for about 2 more minutes, until tender but still firm. Don’t crowd the slices or they won’t crisp. Transfer to a platter, spoon the anchovy sauce over the cauliflower, and sprinkle with roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

Taken from David Tanis Market Cooking, published by Artisan Books at £32. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £29.50, call 020-3176 3835 or visit www.theweek.co.uk/bookshop.