Grilled Halloumi with Cucumber & Green Grapes

 

By Chef Ana Ortiz

 

A salty, crunchy, tangy, and herbaceous salad that is super quick to put together. Serve it as part of a meal made up of lots of little plates (hummus, olives, marinated gigantic beans...) bring it to a picnic once the weather really warms up, or eat it as mid-day snack (my favorite way to have it).

INGREDIENTS

1 Persian cucumber per person
6 green grapes per person
A handful of flat parsley
2-3 slices of halloumi per person, about 1/2” thick each
olive oil
lemon
Maldon salt

 

METHOD

1. Pick a handful of flat parsley from its stem.
2. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4” coins.
3. Quarter the grapes. Slice the halloumi.
4. Heat a thin drizzle of olive oil on a nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the halloumi until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
5. Break the halloumi into pieces like in the photograph, or serve it in slices.
6. Toss the cucumbers, grapes, and parsley with a little drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon in a bowl. Taste and add a little more oil and lemon if it needs it.
7. Top the halloumi with the cucumber, grapes, and parsley. Sprinkle everything with a tiny bit of Maldon salt keeping in mind that halloumi is a salty cheese.