Meaty & Robust Halloumi Cheese

Jul 5, 2016

We’re singing the praises of Halloumi cheese. Amazingly versatile with its ability to be grilled or fried without melting into a mass of goo, Halloumi cheese is meaty and full of robust flavour.

With origins in Cyprus, Halloumi cheese is traditionally made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, although today cow’s milk is also used. It is a semi-hard white cheese with a springy texture.

TO GRILL OR PAN-FRY: Oil a grill or add a little olive oil to a skillet. Preheat the grill, frying pan or griddle pan to a high heat. Place slices of Halloumi to the pan or grill a cook for a minute or so on each side. The cheese will soften slightly as it cooks. To prevent Halloumi from sticking to the grill, wait until grill marks appear before flipping.

Here are a few suggestions for serving up Halloumi quickly and easily:

Load up skewers with chunks of Halloumi cheese layered between summer fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, zucchini, red onions, and red and yellow bell peppers. Brush with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs of your choice. Grill and serve!

Grill halloumi cheese and serve with spinach sauteed with garlic. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil for the finishing touch.

If grilling isn’t your thing, simply pan-fry slices of cheese, then layer cheese on toasted bread or baguette slices with baby spinach leaves and tomato slices. Add a bit of heat with sliced jalapeno pepper. Drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette and sprinkle on some chopped onion greens for a simple but satisfying sandwich.

Fancy something a little more elegant? Serve up this elegant Halloumi salad. It’s sweet, salty and crunchy!

Oil grill well and preheat to medium-high. Grill Halloumi for about 2 minutes per side, or just until grill marks appear.

In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Toss salad greens (baby greens, rocket mix, arugula), cherry tomatoes, and radishes with the amount of dressing desired. Divide among bowls. Top each salad with grilled Halloumi, and shredded carrot. Garnish with a few thin breadsticks, a whole grain tortilla chip, and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over salad and you have a delicious, appetizing salad for guests.