An enticing recipe using Halloumi, the firm brined cheese from Cyprus, which you encounter all over Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. It has a high-fat content and is mostly grilled or pan-fried. It will not melt even at high temperatures. Like its Greek counterpart, Kefalotyri, it is made from sheep or goat milk. A great recipe for the unexpected vegetarian guest and a tasty accompaniment to roasted veggies.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 15 minutes
Halloumi is available in most well-stocked supermarkets nowadays. As an appetizer, I serve at least 2 slices of cheese per person.
Ingredients:
- 9 oz (250 g) Halloumi or Kefalotyri cheese, sliced into 3/8 inch (1 cm) slices
- 2 Tbsp olive oil for pan frying
- 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (14 g) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive for the caper sauce
- 1 medium size onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- freshly ground pepper
- the addition of extra salt might not be necessary as both Halloumi and Kefalotyri are lightly salted
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pan fry or grill Halloumi slices until it starts getting nicely brown around the edges. Set aside on kitchen towel until ready to use.
Add a bit more olive oil to the saucepan, if necessary, and sauté the onion slices for about 5 minutes or until they start getting soft. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, capers, parsley, and olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper. Arrange Halloumi cheese on serving plates, add onion slices on the side and pour caper sauce on top of it.
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