For the past few years, members of our extended family have participated in the Lenape Challenge in Pennsylvania, a 5-mile trail run and 2+-mile kayak race charity event in the Spring. Last year’s After Party for our family was at the home of our niece Amanda, her husband Mike, and their (at the time) 2-year-old son, Dominic. One of the appetizers they served was grilled halloumi (pronounced huh-loo-mee), a semihard, unripened, brined cheese from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Although I had heard of halloumi, it was the first time I tried this delicacy. And I have to say, I loved it! It was tangy and salty and held its shape when grilled. The high melting point of halloumi makes it ideal for grilling or frying. It is typically made from goat’s and sheep’s milk, but it can also be made from cow’s milk. Halloumi has become increasingly popular and commonly available in supermarkets and specialty grocery stores.
Recently, while browsing in the cheese section of our local grocery store, I found a block of it and on an impulse, threw it in my shopping basket. I didn’t have a recipe in mind for it at that point, but I decided there was no better time to try it out then now, when we are doing so much more cooking at home. It took some searching, but I found a recipe combining fried halloumi with couscous, veggies, and hummus. And it was absolutely delicious! Halloumi is now a regular item on my grocery shopping list!
Halloumi Hummus Bowls
Halloumi Hummus Bowls (adapted from howsweeteats.com) Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes, Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup couscous
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise into 8 pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + some for drizzling
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 2/3 cup hummus
- pinch of salt and pepper
- lemon wedges for serving
Prep the tomatoes, cucumber, and oregano.
Instructions:
Cook the couscous in the vegetable broth according to the package directions, to yield 2 cups of cooked couscous. Allow it to cool in the pan after it is cooked and fluffed.
Cook the couscous in broth.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the halloumi dry with a paper towel. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet. Add the halloumi slices to the pan and cook them until they are golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the halloumi from the pan to a plate.
Cook the halloumi in a bit of oil.
Cooked to desired brownness.
Add the cooled couscous to a large bowl. Toss it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over it and add the tablespoon of olive oil into the couscous, tossing it all together well.
Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the couscous.
Stir the tomatoes, cucumbers, and oregano into the couscous.
Add the veggies & herb to the bowl.
Combine the veggies & couscous well.
Divide the couscous between 4 bowls. Top each serving with a scoop of hummus. Add a few slices of halloumi to each bowl. Serve with a slice of lemon.
This is excellent!
Thanks for the introduction to halloumi, Mike! ~Linda
Halloumi Hummus Bowls (adapted from howsweeteats.com) Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes, Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup couscous
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise into 8 pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + some for drizzling
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 2/3 cup hummus
- pinch of salt and pepper
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions:
Cook the couscous in the vegetable broth according to the package directions, to yield 2 cups of cooked couscous. Allow it to cool in the pan after it is cooked and fluffed.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the halloumi dry with a paper towel. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet. Add the halloumi slices to the pan and cook them until they are golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the halloumi from the pan to a plate.
Add the cooled couscous to a large bowl. Toss it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over it and add the tablespoon of olive oil into the couscous, tossing it all together well. Stir the tomatoes, cucumbers, and oregano into the couscous. Divide the couscous between 4 bowls. Top each serving with a scoop of hummus. Add a few slices of halloumi to each bowl. Serve with a slice of lemon.