The Halloumi Cookbook

PREP 15 MINUTES

COOK 15 MINUTES

340g (12oz) halloumi, thickly sliced

olive oil, for brushing

1 large red onion, cut into wedges

1 yellow (bell) pepper

1 red (bell) pepper

4 pitta breads

a handful of wild rocket (arugula)

4 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt

pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

ROSE HARISSA MARINADE

2 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp rose harissa paste

Mix the ingredients for the rose harissa marinade in a bowl and add the halloumi, turning it until well coated in the marinade.

Fire up the barbecue and when it’s really hot and the flames die down lightly oil the grill.

Add the red onion wedges and peppers and cook for about 8–10 minutes or until softened and slightly charred. Remove and keep warm.

Add the halloumi and cook for about 2 minutes each side until golden brown and slightly charred. Remove and keep warm.

Place the pitta breads on the oiled grill and cook for about 30 seconds each side. Remove and keep warm.

Peel the peppers when they are cool enough to handle and remove the inner ribs and seeds. Cut into slices.

Make a slit along one side of each pitta bread and open it up. Fill with the rocket (arugula), grilled onions, peppers and halloumi. Add a spoonful of yoghurt to each pitta and drizzle with pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar.

VARIATIONS

• Add tzatziki (see here (#u5a2a7961-d510-5385-bc17-3267d29bc877)) or hummus instead of yoghurt.

• Use wraps or tortillas instead of pittas.

Tip: If you have a large barbecue you can grill the halloumi and pitta breads alongside the onions and peppers to speed things up.

GRIDDLED HALLOUMI WITH WATERMELON SALSA

In mainland Greece and on the islands, grilled (broiled) halloumi is often eaten for breakfast with some fresh fruit, especially juicy figs or a slice of chilled watermelon. It’s refreshing and cooling in the intense heat of a Greek summer. The sweetness and crunchiness of the melon complements the appetizingly charred cheese. We’ve taken this one step further and added the watermelon to a lightly spiced salsa and served it with griddled bread.

SERVES 4

PREP 10 MINUTES

COOK 10–12 MINUTES

1 tbsp green fruity olive oil, e.g. Kalamata

4 thick slices crusty bread or ciabatta

400g (14oz) halloumi, cut into 4 thick slices

WATERMELON SALSA

500g (18oz) peeled watermelon, cubed

¼ cucumber, diced

250g (9oz) multicoloured tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 small bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped

1 red chilli, diced

a handful of mint or basil, chopped

1 tbsp green fruity olive oil, e.g. Kalamata

juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the watermelon salsa at least 1 hour in advance so you can serve it well chilled. Mix the watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions (scallions), chilli, herbs, olive oil and lime or lemon juice together in a bowl. Season to taste but go easy on the salt as halloumi can be quite salty. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Just before serving, brush a ridged griddle pan with the olive oil and set over a medium heat. When the pan is really hot, add the bread and cook for about 1 minute each side – just long enough to toast it. Remove and keep warm.

Add the halloumi to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes each side until golden brown and attractively striped on the outside and starting to soften inside.

Serve the hot halloumi and griddled bread immediately with the chilled watermelon salsa.

VARIATIONS