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Grilled Halloumi
Throwing one out for my vegetarians who love to grill!! This is a hearty, veg-forward meal featuring #halloumi, an insanely delicious cheese (usually made from goat and/or sheep’s milk and traditional to Cyprus!) that cooks to a gloriously golden, crisp on the grill or in a pan, belying its soft, warm interior with that classic squeaky chew!
And that’s only the beginning… we’ve got melting, molten grilled stone fruit, filling lentils bathed in a nicely spicy chili, mint and scallion vinaigrette. It’s enough to make any mouth smile…enjoy!!
Grilled Halloumi
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients:
Grilled Broccolini, Halloumi and Nectarines:
1 ½ cups green lentils, rinsed and sifted for stones
2 bunches broccolini (13-ounces), ends trimmed, thicker broccolini halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided, plus additional for greasing
3 ripe nectarines or peaches, pitted and quartered, or 6 pitted and halved apricots
8-ounces halloumi, cut into ½” slices and dried on a towel
Kosher salt, to taste
Flaky sea salt, to garnish
Scallion-Mint Vinaigrette:
6 mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup torn flat leaf parsley
¼ cup scallions, finely chopped (4-6 scallions)
1 fresno chili, minced
¼ cup sherry or white wine vinegar
½ lemon, juiced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Special Equipment:
Grill pan
Cast iron pan (for weighing down veggies)
Instructions:
•Prepare the lentils according to package instructions.
•Meanwhile, lightly grease a clean grill or grill pan with avocado oil using a clean kitchen towel. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
•While the grill is preheating, in a large bowl toss the broccolini with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Place on the grill and allow to grill for 6 to 8 minutes, rotating every few minutes until nicely charred and crisp-tender (be careful not to overcook here, we don’t want soggy broccolini, you still want some texture!). To help the broccoli char nicely on the grill (especially when using a grill pan), place a heavy bottomed skillet, like a cast iron, on top of the broccolini to help get a nice char on the veggies. This technique is best used for thicker, sturdier veggies, avoid using on fruits and more tender veggies.
•While the broccolini is grilling, to the same large bowl, add the fruit and halloumi slices. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Once the broccolini has been removed, place the cheese onto the grill with the fruit cut-side down. Allow to grill for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until nicely charred. The fruit will be lightly softened but still retain their shape and texture.
For the Scallion-Mint Vinaigrette:
•In a small bowl, combine the mint, parsley, scallions, chili, vinegar, olive oil and honey and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper and toss together with the still warm lentils. Set aside until ready to serve.
•To serve, spread the lentils over a large platter. Top with the grilled fruit, broccolini and halloumi. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and serve.
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