Tomato Basil And Halloumi Salad Food

TOMATO, BASIL, AND HALLOUMI SALAD

Steps:

• Remove the cheese from the package and squeeze lightly with paper towels to get most of the moisture off the outside of the cheese block.
• Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and heat on medium to med-high heat.
• While the skillet is heating up, cut the halloumi into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes.
• Place the cubes in the heated pan and toss occasionally while cooking to brown the halloumi cubes on most sides.
• When the cubes have browned on most sides, remove from heat and set aside.
• Dice the tomatoes and cut the basil leaves (I usually place them on top of each other, roll them up length wise, and use scissors to cut them top to bottom, resulting in strands of basil).
• When the cheese has cooled for a few minutes, place in a bowl with tomatoes, basil, scallions, garlic and the rest of the olive oil and toss to mix.
• Put the mix in the fridge for at least a few hours to let the flavors develop (or consume immediately, which is what I did. I have no patience when it comes to cheese, but the salad does taste better if given time to sit).

HALLOUMI WITH CORN, CHERRY TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high until it thins out, about 20 seconds. Working in batches, add cheese in one layer, and cook until golden on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip cheese and cook without moving until golden on the other side, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining cheese.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat it over medium-high. Add corn, tomatoes, jalapeño, cumin seeds and salt, and cook until corn and tomatoes have softened and everything looks juicy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat and stir in the browned cheese, sliced onion and basil. Squeeze a lime wedge or two over everything and season with more salt and lots of black pepper. Garnish with more basil and serve immediately.

15 MINUTE HALLOUMI TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Slice your larger tomatoes into thick rounds, and your smaller cherry / plum tomatoes into halves. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add salt and pepper to taste. Flip the tomatoes around to ensure they are all coated with the oil and vinegar.Chop the herbs and add them to the bowl (you can reserve some for topping the salad if you wish), again using a spoon to flip the tomatoes around and distribute the herbs. Scatter the tomatoes into a serving bowl or dish while you prepare your halloumi. Heat a large, nonstick frying pan with just a small coating of oil at the bottom. Once it's heated, add the halloumi slices and cook for 2 minutes before flipping one slice over - if it's nicely browned, you can proceed with flipping the others and letting them cook another 2 minutes on that side. If it's not there yet, just flip it back and check in another 30 seconds or so.Once the halloumi is cooked, place the slices on top of the tomatoes. Add the reserved herbs, another sprinkle of salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

TOMATO & HALLOUMI SLICE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Arrange the tomatoes and peppers on a baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with half the oil, season with salt and roast for 25 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over a medium heat. Lightly brush the halloumi slices with the remaining oil and griddle for 6 mins. Flip and cook for 3 mins more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly dusted surface to roughly 32 x 22cm, and about 1cm thick. Transfer to a large baking tray lined with baking parchment and score a 2cm border around the edges. Combine the soft cheese, 2 tsp milk and the garlic, and spread inside the border.
• Turn the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Tip away any liquid from the tray of tomatoes and peppers, then arrange the roasted veg over the soft cheese mix. Lay the halloumi on top. Combine the egg yolk and remaining milk, then brush this over the border. Bake for 25 mins until the pastry is golden and risen. Scatter over the basil and serve immediately.

CHERRY TOMATO, CORN, AND HALLOUMI SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together lime juice and zest in a large heatproof bowl. In a small skillet, heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until light golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whiskoil mixture into lime mixture; season with salt and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons dressing; add corn and tomatoes to remaining dressing and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Return skillet to medium-high heat and swirl in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add halloumi (be careful; it may splatter) and cook, flipping once, until golden and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Scatter arugula on a serving plate; top with corn-tomato mixture. Serve, with halloumi and reserved dressing on the side.

CUCUMBER-TOMATO SALAD WITH SEARED HALLOUMI AND OLIVE OIL CROUTONS

Steps:

• Make the croutons: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each slice of bread into 1-inch-wide strips. Tear each strip into 1-inch pieces, removing the crust as you go if it is very thick. Transfer to a large baking sheet (or use 2 sheets, if necessary to prevent crowding). Drizzle with olive oil and toss until evenly coated.
• Bake until golden brown and crunchy on the outside, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet and turning the croutons halfway through so they brown evenly, and checking them every few minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt, if needed. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• Make the salad: In a colander in the sink, toss the cucumbers with about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place a bag of ice cubes or an ice pack on top to chill and firm the cucumbers. Let drain while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Slice the halloumi about 1/4-inch thick, then cut into bite-size strips. Smash and peel the garlic cloves and combine with 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl to steep.
• Pour off excess liquid from the bowl holding the tomatoes. Add drained cucumbers, red onion or scallions, fresh herbs and 2 tablespoons vinegar to tomatoes and toss well. Remove and discard the garlic cloves from the extra-virgin olive oil, add the oil to tomatoes and mix well. (If desired, the salad can be made up until this point and refrigerated for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain off excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl before proceeding.)
• When ready to serve, add about half the croutons to the salad and toss so they can absorb the liquid. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.
• Cook the halloumi: Line a plate with paper towels and lightly coat a nonstick skillet with extra-virgin olive oil. Heat oil over medium-high until rippling. Working in batches, cook the halloumi strips on both sides until golden-brown and crusty, about 1 minute per side. Remove to the plate to drain.
• Taste and add more croutons to salad as desired. (If there are too many, the salad will be starchy; too few, and it will be wet.) At the last minute, toss in the halloumi, add another good glug of extra-virgin olive oil, mix gently and serve immediately. (If desired, transfer to a clean bowl or platter for serving.)