A very colorful salad which can be made ahead of time. A great bring along to a summer party. If you are unable to find Halloumi cheese, feta cheese is a great substitute.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil plus 3 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon or to taste
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Salad:
- 1 cup (175 g) broccoli florets
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/2 inches (1,25 cm) pieces
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup (80 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup (70 g) black olives, pitted and cut lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp capers, drained
- 1 cup scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 pita bread (6 inch/15 cm diameter)
- 8 oz (225 g) Halloumi cheese, cut into 1 inch (2,5 cm) cubes
- 1/2 cup European cucumber, seeded and diced into 1/2 inches (1,25 cm) pieces
- 1/4 cup (6 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
Preparation:
Dressing:
Start by preparing the salad dressing. Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Salad:
Fill a saucepan large enough to hold the broccoli pieces with water. Bring to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook broccoli until it starts to soften about 3-4 minutes. Broccoli should be still “al dente”. Drain in a colander and run it under cold water to arrest cooking. Let it cool. Set aside.
While the broccoli is cooking, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Sauté until they begin to soften about 3-4 minutes. Set aside with the drained broccoli.
Combine the cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, broccoli, onion, peppers, olives, capers, scallions and parsley in a bowl. Drizzle the prepared salad dressing over and toss to mix it well. Let it marinate while you prepare the Halloumi and pita bread.
Cut pita bread into 1 1/2 inch (3 cm) pieces, place in a small bowl and drizzle it with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Toss pita bread gently in the bowl.
Wipe off the skillet used for the onions and pepper with paper towels. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the oil drizzled pita pieces. Cook stirring often until the pita pieces are golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
Wipe off the skillet and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to it. Warm oil over medium heat. Add the Halloumi cheese cubes and brown them on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the pita bread. Add pita bread, Halloumi and cucumber to the chickpeas bowl. Toss well and adjust seasonings.
Chickpeas tend to absorb a lot of dressing. You might need to add a bit more, if you like.
If you decide to prepare the salad in advance, add the cucumber, pita and Halloumi shortly before serving. Cucumber and pita bread will get soggy otherwise.
