Chef Jill Elmore says: "In my travels to Australia, I often noticed this delicious cheese on menus. I had never heard of it before, so, I thought I would give it a try and I'm so glad I did—I loved it! Back home, I started to look for it and was pleasantly surprised to find it in my local grocery market, as well as my favorite Italian deli, which is chock-full of great cheeses. This cheese is a little on the salty side, so it's marvelous with the cool, fresh taste of cucumber and lemon."
Servings: Serves 2–4
Ingredients
  • 6 Persian cucumbers , peeled in strips and cut into half-circles
  • 4 ripe tomatoes (Japanese if you can find them), cut in big chunks
  • 2 Tbsp. parsley , chopped
  • 1 tsp. mint , chopped
  • 1 cup cooked beluga or Puy lentils
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon , juiced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 to 2 glugs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 7-ounce package halloumi cheese , sliced into 12 pieces
    • Directions
    1. Place the first seven ingredients in a bowl and toss together.

    2. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Do not over salt because the cheese is salty enough.

    3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add a splash or two of oil.

    4. Place the halloumi cheese in pan and sauté for 1–2 minutes, just until golden.

    5. Turn cheese over and brown for another minute.

    6. Remove from pan and serve immediately, while cheese is still warm, with cucumber lentil salad.

    Jill's Smart Idea:
    You can also use fresh cooked or canned beans (any kind) or quinoa in the place of lentils.

    Recipe from The Family Chef by Jewels and Jill Elmore, courtesy of Celebra Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA).
    Published 05/22/2009

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