Frired Halloumi Salad

Halloumi is a brined Cypriot cheese that has a delightful texture similar to cheese curd, along with a rather salty and tangy flavor. It tastes okay when you eat it raw. However, the amazing golden crust that it gets when heated (fried, grilled, etc.) is simply delicious. And don’t worry, this cheese has a high melting point, so it won’t burn.

One of the best ways to enjoy halloumi is in a salad. And this is one below is an absolute favourites, where you use crunchy fennel or celery, and other fragrant ingredients. The use of different textures with the cheese to create a flavor-packed meal (yes, it is no less than a meal!).

INGREDIENTS:

For the Dressing:

• 2 tbsp. Lemon juice
• 1/4^th cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you can substitute it with Canola oil too)
• 2 tbsp. Freshly chopped Dill
• 2 tbsp. Freshly chopped Mint
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground Black Pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 cup (0.24 l) of canned Chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
• 1 small head of Fennel, cored and sliced
• A few green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8 oz (ca. 302 g). Halloumi, cut into ¼” slices
• 1 Pita Bread, roughly torn into bite-sized pieces
• A handful of Arugula leaves, torn
• 1 medium-sized Orange, cut into thin segments
• ½ ripe Avocado
• Red Pepper flakes

METHOD:

1. In a large mixing bowl, put in all the dressing ingredients, and whisk them together.
2. Next, season the ingredients according to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Then, add the drained chickpeas, fennel and olives to the whisked ingredients and toss them all together.
4. Take a skillet and over medium heat, put in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced halloumi cheese. Cook it until the cheese is golden on both sides, and looks a little charred. (It takes around 4 to 6 minutes in total)
6. Once it is golden, remove the cheese to a plate.
7. In the same skillet, heat the rest of the oil over medium heat.
8. Once hot, add the pita bread and toast it. Cook it till the pita becomes golden and crispy, which will take around 4 minutes.
9. Then, take it off heat and keep aside.
10. Next, add the arugula leaves, crispy halloumi and pita bread into the bowl. Mix them well with the chickpeas, fennel and olives and toss and combine them together.
11. Take half of an avocado and cut it crosswise into thin slices.
12. Add the orange segments and avocado slices to the salad and toss everything gently.
13. Finally, season the salad to taste, with salt, black pepper and some red pepper flakes, and serve fresh.