Halloumi

[Amyw Profile]

Tried it once, didn't like it , then bit the billet and had it again at Nandos las week in a Pitma bread with a grilled portobello mushroom and chilli jam and loved it .

I've bought some today from Marks with the plan being to serve with roasted Mediterranean veg, but does anyone else have any favourite uses for it please

[scullion Profile]

i think the main ones, are grilled or fried.
i do like it 'uncooked' but then i rather liked the feeling of chewing rubber bands, when i was a kid, too!

[Renee Profile]

I've never done that Scullion!

I didn't like it the first time that I tried it also, but have enjoyed it the last two times that I tried it. I can't just remember what I had it with, so am looking forward to recommendations here, because I do have some in the fridge.

I've just remembered that my friend Sue had it at the gym with quinoa, poached egg and spinach. It looked good.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Nigella does a good one with chilli.

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/halloumi-with-chilli

Nisha Parmar at our gym who is a Masterchef semi-finalist uses halloumi a lot. The club website is down at the moment (quelle surprise) but I'll try and grab a menu when I'm in tomorrow.

My kids always buy a 4 pack at Costco whenever they have a barbecue. It's a must sliced and griddled.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I like it grilled on top of stuffed veg.

Have had a go at making it. Would do so again, got the texture right but it needed more salt and mint. There's a recipe for marinated Halloumi in one of the Delia books, the Summer one presumably.

[Renee Profile]

That's interesting Badger's Mate. I shall probably continue to buy mine, because I've had quite enough of food experiments over the years!! Age is probably coming into it now!

[jeral Profile]

I normally eat halloumi with a cold meze of usual suspects like humous, olives, sundried toms etc. I grill or dry-fry slices quickly on high heat to brown although just on one side so not too chewy.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

No Halloumi over here, but there´s plenty of white cheese, Typically, a fried cheese would be something like Halloumi, however - and usually served with breakfast.

[Amyw Profile]

Thanks all , I grilled it last night and it came out just as I liked it , golden brown but with the right balance of chewiness with a bit of meltiness . I had with roasted courgettes, peppers, mushroom and onions in a pitta with some garlic chilli and lemon mayo

[jeral Profile]

Jolly good I reckon halloumi is better finished quickly once the packet is opened or it loses its freshness. karadekoolaid mentioned breakfast, not sure with what else, although it does go well with dippy egg.

[Renee Profile]

Thanks PP! I rather like Nigella's way with the Halloumi cheese and chilli oil, also her courgette fritters.

[Amyw Profile]

Oh they sound good Renee, I like most of Nigellas recipes too

[karadekoolaid Profile]

For breakfast, Jeral, we might have "fried cheese" with black beans, an egg (any way you like) , some bacon and, for those who can take it early in the morning, "carne mechada" ( shredded beef with onions, peppers and tomato).

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Haloumi is Middle Eastern
For a basic Middle East breakfast you have cheese, flat bread, tomato, cucumber, za’atar, honey, yogurt. Optionally some kind of onion and sausage

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Aldi, and I think other supermarkets, have Halloumi fries in their freezer section. The Aldi ones aren't very nice.

[smitch Profile]

My OH was out last night so I decided to treat myself to halloumi and mushrooms, two things he hates.

I fried peppers, spring onions, mushrooms and halloumi cubes, added a pouch of rice with pumpkin seeds from Aldi and stirred through some zhoug paste and a bit of hot sauce.

I had intended it to make two meals but I accidentally ate it all

[Renee Profile]

I like the sound of your meal, smitch. You've just reminded me about zhoug paste, because I bought some a while ago and forgot about it!

[Rainbow Profile]

Haloumi is Middle Eastern
For a basic Middle East breakfast you have cheese, flat bread, tomato, cucumber, za’atar, honey, yogurt. Optionally some kind of onion and sausage

I believe it originated in Cyprus. They tried to copyright the cheese but failed because the Cypriot government could not get their act together!!

[Sakkarin Profile]

Cheese salad for breakfast!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Not exactly cheese salad as arranged and eaten, but I suppose it has all the components. Basically fresh bread and everything that can be put on the table without cooking

I think the origin of halloumi ’s really contentious - I know the Cypriots claim it but if you travel round the eastern Mediterranean coast, as Rick Stein did, say from Split to Alexandrïa you get white cheese (peak form feta) and yellow cheese (peak form kashkaval) all the way and halloumi all along the southern third. Certainly a thing in Syria and Lebanon, the most prominent UK maker is a Syrian woman.

I could also make a case for Cyprus being part of the Middle East!