The Halloumi Cookbook

Whisk together the tahini, garlic, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl.

Stir in the yoghurt and season to taste. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a spoonful of water to thin it a little. Cover and chill in the fridge before serving, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with dill.

VARIATIONS

• Sprinkle with shredded spring onions (scallions).

• Scatter with toasted sesame seeds.

SMOKY RED PEPPER AND AUBERGINE DIP

SERVES 4–6

PREP 10 MINUTES

COOK 25–30 MINUTES

1 large aubergine (eggplant)

3 red (bell) peppers

olive oil, for brushing

3 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

juice of ½ lemon

200g (7oz/scant 1 cup) 0% fat Greek yoghurt

a few sprigs of coriander (cilantro), chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4.

Cook the whole aubergine (eggplant) and peppers in a griddle pan set over a medium to high heat for 5–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred and starting to soften.

Place the vegetables on a lightly oiled baking tray (cookie sheet) and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes until really tender. Leave to cool.

Scoop the aubergine (eggplant) out of the skin and place in a food processor. Skin and deseed the peppers and add to the food processor with the garlic, paprika, cumin and lemon juice. Blitz until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Season to taste and stir in the yoghurt and coriander (cilantro).

VARIATIONS

• Add some crushed chilli flakes, a diced red chilli or a dash of harissa.

• Stir in a little tahini or tomato paste.

FRIED HALLOUMI

Frying is the simplest and quickest way of cooking halloumi and the wonderful thing is that, unlike other cheeses, it does not melt. You can even dry-fry it to avoid adding extra fat if you are watching your weight. Don’t worry if some of the brine in the cheese comes out into the pan while it’s cooking – it will evaporate and you’ll still end up with crisp and crusty golden halloumi slices, which are tender inside.

DRY-FRYING

Simply cut the block of cheese into slices – as thick as you like. This could be anything from 1–2cm (½ –¾ inch) thick.

Dry-fry in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes each side until any liquid has been released and evaporated and the halloumi is golden brown and crispy on the outside and softened inside.

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and eat immediately. If you leave it to cool down, it may become rubbery.

FRYING IN OIL AND/OR BUTTER

You can fry halloumi in a little olive oil, which will enhance the flavour, as does unsalted butter. Just heat the oil and/or butter in a frying pan and cook as for dry-frying.

Note: Some people dust the halloumi with flour or semolina before frying to give it a deliciously crisp crust. You can even dip the slices into beaten egg first and then coat them with sesame seeds or crushed fennel or cumin seeds.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Drizzle with some fruity green olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

• Use basil oil instead of regular olive oil.

• Drizzle some warm runny honey over the top and sprinkle with black or white sesame seeds.

• Sprinkle with finely chopped mint, coriander (cilantro), basil or flat-leaf parsley. Alternatively, dust with dried oregano or thyme.

• Scatter a pinch of crushed chilli flakes over the top to give it a kick.

• Dust with ground spices, e.g. paprika, cayenne, za’atar or sumac.

• Serve with a spoonful of chilli jam, fig jam or your favourite chutney.

• If you’re not a purist, add a shake of hot sauce, e.g. Sriracha or Thai sweet chilli sauce, or a little harissa (regular or rose flavoured).

• Eat for breakfast with some fresh watermelon, peaches, pears or clementines. The juiciness and sweetness of the fruit complement its salty flavour perfectly.

• Serve with figs – fresh or oven-baked with honey.

• Add some peppery salad leaves, such as rocket (arugula) or watercress and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

• Wrap in wafer thin slices of prosciutto.

• Serve with some tahini or cooling tzatziki (see here (#u5a2a7961-d510-5385-bc17-3267d29bc877)).

• Serve on skewers with a spicy dip or lemony salsa.