While many Midwesterners may never have heard of halloumi cheese, its flavor and texture should seem familiar.
Halloumi (pronounced huh-loo-mee), which comes from the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, is traditionally made with goat's and/or sheep's milk, although it can also be made from cow's milk. It's a white, semihard, brined cheese with a slightly spongy texture and a tangy, salty flavor reminiscent of cheese curds. (It even has the cheese-curd squeakiness when you take a bite.)
While it can be eaten raw, due to its high melting point it can also be grilled, sauteed or, for State Fair lovers, fried, without melting away.
Today's recipe, Seared Halloumi and Cherry Tomato Salad With Basil-Mint Vinaigrette, takes full advantage of that high melting point. This summery salad is surprisingly easy to make for something so packed full of flavor.
Cherry tomatoes, so sweet this time of year, and thinly sliced red onions are briefly marinated in a simple lemon vinaigrette. Those of us with a bumper crop of herbs in our gardens will appreciate the addition of a generous amount of basil and mint to the dressing.
The halloumi is cut into slices, thoroughly patted dry with paper towels and quickly seared in a touch of olive oil. A nonstick skillet makes this task easy, as it will help prevent the cheese from sticking.
The cherry tomato mixture is spooned onto a bed of peppery arugula, which is also topped with the hot slices of halloumi. The result is a unique salad that's full of varying textures and temperatures as well as bold, bright summer flavors.
Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram at @meredithdeeds.
Seared Halloumi and Cherry Tomato Salad With Basil-Mint Vinaigrette
Serves 4.
Note: Salty, tart, peppery and just a little sweet, this unique summery salad covers all the flavor bases. Halloumi is widely available in supermarket cheese aisles. From Meredith Deeds.
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 c. chopped basil
• 1/4 c. chopped mint
• 1 (10-oz.) pkg. cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced red onions
• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. halloumi, cut into 8 slices
• 1 (5-oz.) pkg. baby arugula
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Stir in the basil and mint. Add the cherry tomatoes and red onions and stir to coat. Set aside while you prepare the halloumi.
Thoroughly pat the halloumi slices dry with paper towels.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Arrange halloumi slices in the skillet and cook until brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Arrange the arugula on a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the cherry tomatoes and onions over the top of the arugula, along with the seared halloumi. (There will be some dressing left in the cherry tomato bowl, which should be saved and served alongside the salad.)
