Halloumi With Spiced Leeks Food

CUMIN-SPICED HALLOUMI WITH CORN & TOMATO SLAW

Steps:

• Mix the lime zest and juice with the oil, thyme, turmeric, cumin, coriander and garlic together in a bowl. Add the halloumi and carefully turn it until coated - take care as it breaks easily.
• To make the slaw, mix the lime juice and zest, yogurt, coriander and chilli together, then stir in the corn, red pepper, beans, tomatoes, onion and cabbage.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle pan and fry the cheese in batches for 1 min each side. Serve the slaw on plates with the halloumi slices on top. If you're cooking for two people, serve half of the halloumi and slaw and chill the rest for lunch another day.

GRILLED HALLOUMI WITH SPICY-SWEET PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Combine the roasted peppers, Calabrian chiles, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt, stir and set aside.
• Oil the grill grates. Grill the halloumi until well marked and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter. Spoon the red pepper mixture over the cheese and top with basil and mint. Serve with bread.

HALLOUMI WITH SPICED LEEKS

Steps:

• Slice leeks fairly finely. Cut the cheese into slice about 8mm thick then cut each slice in half to make squarish pieces.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, put in the cheese and fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on one side, then flip the pieces over and fry the other side.
• Drain the cheese on kitchen paper and leave on one side.
• Put the leeks in the frying pan and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until they are just tender. Then add the cumin seeds and stir for a moment or two longer. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the cheese back into the pan with the leeks and heat through for a few minutes.
• Serve on warm plates.

HALLOUMI WRAPS WITH CRUNCHY ZA'ATAR CHIPS

Steps:

• Cut the potatoes into 1cm-thick chips - leave the skin on, or peel first, if you prefer. Tip into a pan of cold salted water and set aside while you make the flatbreads.
• Mix the yogurt and flour with a pinch of salt to make a soft dough. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour. Knead gently for a minute or two until smooth and elastic, then divide into four pieces. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring the pan of chips to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 mins until the potatoes start to soften - you should be able to easily break a chip in half. Drain and leave to steam-dry in the colander for 5 mins. Drizzle a large baking tray with the veg oil and put in the oven for a few minutes to heat up.
• Carefully tip the chips into the tray of hot oil, season with salt and scatter with the za'atar and oregano. Use a fish slice to carefully turn the chips in the oil until well-coated, then bake for 25-30 mins, shaking the tray every 10 mins until crisp.
• Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the tzatziki together, and chill until ready to serve. Will keep covered and chilled for a day.
• Flour a work surface and roll out each piece of dough into a roughly 25cm round. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and cook each for 2-3 mins on each side until puffed up and golden in spots. Wrap in foil and keep warm in a low oven.
• Tip the chopped tomatoes and cucumber triangles into individual bowls and set aside. Squeeze half the lemon over the red onions and season with a little salt, scrunch together and set aside. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges.
• Slice each halloumi block into eight pieces. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the halloumi for 1-2 mins on each side until soft and golden. Generously spread each flatbread with the tzatziki, then top with a handful of the chips, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and halloumi. Squeeze over a lemon wedge, then wrap up and serve with extra chips and tzatziki on the side.

SPICY CAULIFLOWER & HALLOUMI RICE

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower for 5 mins over a high heat, adding the spinach for the final 2 mins. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole dish and fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 mins. Turn up the heat, add the halloumi, cook for a further 5 mins, then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and curry powder, and cook for 1 min more. Stir through the rice, cauliflower and spinach to warm everything through, adding 1 tbsp water if it looks a little dry. Season and scatter over the chilli.

HALLOUMI KEBABS MARINATED IN TANDOORI YOGURT SPICE

Steps:

• Cut the halloumi into 18 cubes rinse in cold water and drain.
• Next prepare the marinade, heat the oil in a small stainless steel saucepan and warm all the spices together, stirring constantly - DO NOT let burn.
• Put this spice mix into a bowl and stir in the garlic puree, mint, lime, yogurt and water. Mix well.
• Add the halloumi to the marinade and make sure every piece is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Segment the onions by cutting in half crossways, put halves flat side down and cut each half into 4 chunks. Take each chunk and separate out the onion layers into individual pieces.
• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and put in the onion pieces, boil for about 5 mins until soft. Remove from heat, drain and, while still hot, toss in the seasoned lemon juice - made by mixing the lemon juice, salt and sugar in a bowl.
• Leave to marinate for 15 mins then drain.
• Drain the marinated halloumi and tread onto skewer (you will need 6) then thread 3 pieces of onion and another halloumi till you have 3 pieces of halloumi on each skewer finish off with a tomato.
• Griddle when ready for no more than 30-40 seconds on each side.
• Serve on the remaining onions and plenty of green crispy salad.