Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan) and get a baking tray ready. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and cut thick steaks from the centre.
Lay the cauliflower steaks on the tray, brush with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Roast the steaks in the oven at 220 °C for 20–25 min, turning them carefully once. They're done when they have deep roasted patches and are tender inside.
Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley and coriander. Stir them with the garlic, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, chilli flakes and a little salt to make a chimichurri.
Let the chimichurri stand briefly so the flavours come together. Season with a little pepper if you like.
Good to know
When cauliflower takes on colour in the oven, it gets really interesting. Roasted outside, soft inside – and chimichurri instantly makes the whole thing fresher and livelier.
Swaps
Coriander → more parsley (milder in flavour, also provides plant compounds). Red wine vinegar → lemon juice (fresher, adds vitamin C). Extra virgin olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids). Chilli flakes → finely chopped mild red chilli (less heat, similar flavour).
Allergens
The dish is vegan and contains none of the typical major allergens; if you have a sensitive stomach, cauliflower, garlic and chilli can cause bloating; reduce the heat for children, and during pregnancy make sure the fresh herbs are well washed.
