Tag Archives: halloumi

Peach Halloumi Summer Salad with Sweet Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

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Ripe Sweet summer Peaches and crispy Halloumi, a salty, sweet and tangy element in every single bite. The sweet lemon Basil Vinaigrette just brings the whole salad to WOW level. Make this at your next Barbeque, so you can grill the Halloumi on there too or make it in a griddle pan in the convenience of your kitchen. 

Either way this salad is always good, as a side, lunch or as a dinner on it’s own. And make double the dressing, because it’s delicious on everything, grilled chicken, fish, sandwiches…..

As always, the salad ingredients are all optional and inter-changeable. Use what you have on hand, and leave out what you don’t like


Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 2 minutes
Serves : 4 as a side, 2 as a light meal

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 large bags of prepared salad mix, about 10-14 oz. / 300-400 gr.
  • 1 block Halloumi, drained and patted dry
  • 1 or two ripe peaches, pealed and cut into wedges
  • 1 or two Avocados
  • 1 cucumber, peeled
  • 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 3 Spring onions
  • 1/4 cup whole Basil leafs
  • micro greens


SWEET LEMON BASIL VINAIGRETTE:

  • a handful Basil
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 tbsp. Honey
  • 1 shallot finely minced
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste



INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Get out a large serving platter, plate or salad dish and place all the lettuce leaves in the bowl.
  2. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in blender and blend for a minute to combine everything well.  Set aside until ready to use.
  3. Heat a small frying pan and toast the pine nuts, keep an eye on them since they burn quickly.
  4. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and again each half in half. Then cut into thick slices, so you end up with thick quarters. Arrange on top of the lettuce leafs.
  5. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out pieces using a small spoon and place on the salad.
  6. Arrange the red cabbage over the greens.
  7. Arrange the peaches over the greens.
  8. Slice the spring onions and sprinkle over the salad.
  9. Arrange micro greens on top of salad, if using. 
  10. Heat a griddle pan until hot. Slice the Halloumi into 1/4″ slices (1/2 cm) and place on the dry griddle pan and grill each side for one minute. Alternatively, grill on the barbeque.
  11. Place on top of the salad as soon as them come out of the pan.
  12. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the salad and serve straight away with plenty of the sweet lemon basil vinaigrette. 


Enjoy!!

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Parpadelle Puttanesca with Lemon Pangrattato and fried Halloumi

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Parpadelle Puttanesca with Lemon Pangrattato and fried Halloumi

This is one of our favourite Summer dishes. It’s easy, quick to make and FULL of flavour. Thick noodles covered in Puttanesca sauce,topped with fried Halloumi and sprinkled with a generous amount of lemony Pangrattato. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time total: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Pangrattato

  • 1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup  fresh breadcrumbs made from stale bread if you have it, otherwise fresh is fine
  • 2 tbsp. thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Pasta Puttanesca

  • 16 oz. 400g Parpadelle or Fettucine
  • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1  (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 c. green olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 c. capers
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the pangrattato;
Heat  1/4 cup  oil in a pan to medium heat and cook the breadcrumbs until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes . Remove from pan and stir through the lemon zest, thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Start boiling water in a large pot (don’t forget to add a generous amount of salt once boiling) while you make the Puttanesca sauce. Also slice Halloumi and drain on kitchen paper.
Heat a large frying pan and add the 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, the 3 cloves of smashed garlic, the 4 anchovy fillets, stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 5 – 10 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
Heat a non stick frying pan to medium high heat and fry the Halloumi, cooking it on both sides until very golden brown.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water, and return the pasta to the pan. Add the Puttanesca tomato sauce, parsley and enough reserved water to loosen and toss to combine.
Place Pasta in a large serving dish, top with Halloumi and sprinkle with  the Pangrattato. Serve straight away.
Enjoy!
Need more pasta inspiration?
strawberry grilled halloumi salad

Strawberry Grilled Halloumi Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

2 Replies

strawberry grilled halloumi saladHalloumi or Challoumi or hellim is a semi-hard, unripened, slightly springy brined cheese traditionally made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, and sometimes also cow’s milk. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled. Originally from Cyprus, Halloumi is generally served during the warmer months with watermelon, due to its refreshing qualities. But pairs beautifully with any kind of fruit. Personally I love it best when grilled. The trick is to grill on high for a very short time, to keep it soft on the inside.
It balances perfectly with anything sweet because of the slight saltyness. Perfect for over a salad.

Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 2 minutes
Serves : 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large bags of prepared salad mix, about 10-14 oz. / 300-400 gr.
• 1 block Halloumi, drained and patted dry
• 1 cup Strawberries, washed, de-crowned and sliced in half
• 1 or two Avocados
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup sliced Spring onions
• 1/4 cup whole Basil leafs
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• 1/2 cup radishes, sliced
• 1 passion fruit, pulp only (optional)

HONEY BALSAMIC DRESSING:

• 4 tablespoons thick balsamic vinegar.
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
• pinch of salt.
• freshly ground black pepper.
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.

strawberry grilled halloumi salad

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Get out a large serving platter, plate or salad dish and place all the lettuce leafs in the bowl.
2. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake well to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
3. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and again each half in half. Then cut into thick slices, so you end up with thick quarters. Arrange on top of the lettuce leafs.
4. Next divide all the radishes on top of the salad.
5. Scoop out the Avocado using a small spoon and place avocado on the salad.
6. Place the Strawberries on top and arrange all the basil leafs, tucking them in here and there so some are still visible.
7. Heat a griddle pan until hot. Slice the Halloumi into 1/4″ slices (1/2 cm).
8. Put the slices in the griddle pan and grill each side for one minute.
9. Place on top of the salad as soon as them come out of the pan.
10. Scoop the passion fruit pulp over the Halloumi.
11. Sprinkle with pine nuts and spring onion slices and serve straight away with plenty of the Honey Balsamic Dressing.

Enjoy!!
Myra XO

strawberry grilled halloumi salad