Feta Crusted Salmon and Cauliflower Steaks

Well readers, we arrived in Raleigh at 1:30 AM today, went to sleep at 3:00 AM and woke up at 10:30 AM. To say I'm beat is an understatement. However, to try to counteract all the decadent, fatty, hearty, full-of-love meals that Nate's parents treated us to, and to begin my New Year's resolution (to make more home cooked meals for my husband) I decided to make something I saw while watching the Food Network. 

Nate and I don't have cable television. If we can't pick it up on our rabbit ears or see it on Netflix we don't watch it, so while watching Food Network at my in-laws' I came across Valerie Bertinelli's  cooking show. 

During this particular episode, Valerie was preparing a meal for last-minute guests. She made salmon and bread but what really caught my eye was she made cauliflower steaks with a crunchy topping.  

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts 

1 head cauliflower 

Olive oil 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

2 tablespoons sliced almonds (because I had them on hand and couldn't find the pine nuts at the store) 

1/4 C golden raisins 

1 Tbsp butter 

1/4 C fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried because you don't wanna buy fresh) 

Preheat oven to 425. Clean cauliflower and cut the head vertically into 1/2 inch thick steaks. You will only get about 3 whole steaks out of a head. 

Drizzle olive oil onto a baking sheet and place steaks (and smaller florets) onto sheet and season both sides with salt and pepper. 

Bake for 20 minutes, flip after 10 minutes. 

While your cauliflower is roasting away, toast almonds (or pine nuts) in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown. Add in raisins and butter. Coat almonds and raisins in butter and cook over medium heat until raisins begin to plump up. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. 

Spoon onto roasted cauliflower. 

The cauliflower was crisp, flavorful and definitely filling. I wish I had made more (and had more stomach to put it in) 

I served this fantastic side with salmon. It has been so long since I have made salmon which, frankly is insane because it's healthy, it's delicious and it's so easy to make! 

This recipe I found using the Food Network In The Kitchen app. 

Feta Crusted Salmon 

2 2 oz salmon fillets 

Fresh thyme 

Olive oil 

1/2 lemon 

Salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz feta cheese 

3 oz white wine 

Preheat oven to 375. Place thyme in the bottom of a baking dish. 

Wash salmon and dry using paper towels. Coat both sides of the salmon with olive oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper the meat side and crumble fresh feta cheese. Pour wine into the baking dish. 

Bake for 25 minutes.  

The salmon was flaky, tender and full of flavor. I would suggest garnishing with a wedge of lemon to bring out the freshness of the fish. 

The entire meal took about 45 minutes to prepare from start to finish and was most definitely one I will put into my regular dinner rotation and highly encourage you all to do the same! Enjoy, readers!