Sure, the rest of this sounds great, but Karen what is Halloumi? Some may have heard of it, some may not have. Have you? Or one more, have you ever tried it? In the past few years, it has gained some traction in the mainstream food world. I had heard of it several years ago but had never gotten to try it. My first exposure to it was that first trip to London a little over two years ago. It was cut and fried like french fries and topped with spices, herbs and pomegranate seeds. And I. Still. Think. About. It.
Honestly, the desire to get Halloumi in on one of these recipes has been nagging at me for months. Once Israeli was landed on, I knew this was my chance. However, we want it to be healthy. So why not use it as a protein? I think a lot of us forget that cheese is a protein. And if you use the right kind, it can even be reasonable to eat and not be terrible for you. That’s why adding it to this salad made so much sense. This isn’t the kind of cheese that you have all over Nachos. And the cheese itself isn’t actually from Israeli.
It’s from Cyprus, a small country on the Mediterranean Sea. And it’s the birthplace of this amazing semi-hard, un-ripened and brined cheese that is generally prepared using sheep’s milk. Sometimes halloumi is made using a mixture of goat’s milk and sheep’s milk. But occasionally it can be made with cow’s milk. What makes this cheese unique is that you can grill it. It won’t melt and slide all over the place. It will griddle, get softer and taste better hotter. Cyprus is across the sea from Israel. So it’s not completely farfetched for there to be some sharing of flavors.
Keeping with our theme of healthier options, the salad idea made a lot of sense. And then the idea popped in of adding Israeli Couscous, a decently known carb/starch option that is for lack of better term, meatier, then your normal couscous. The original couscous that has the rap of being eaten by those who are known to possibly hug trees or more often then not, vegetarians. It was a different “grain” option that is out there. But it’s not just a grain. Couscous is crushed durum wheat semolina formed into small granules or spheres. Israeli Couscous is often thought of as a whole grain, but it’s actually a type of pasta made of semolina flour and water.
Visually, they are noticeably different. Israeli Couscous as I said, is bigger and meatier. It packs a punch. And the texture is really unique. So putting this with the Halloumi seems like a no brainer. This salad is light, yet filling at the same time. The balance of protein and carbs helps fill you, while the lettuce and flavors make it enjoyable. On that note though, this salad is a great Meat Free Meal and perfect for vegetarians or those just trying to watch their diets a bit more.
Let’s start out with finding your Israeli Couscous, Halloumi & my favorite spice this week, Za’atar. All 3 are able to be found in most local grocery stores. The Couscous will be near your other starch options and the Za’atar spice will be with the other spices. The Halloumi will be with your other specialty cheeses.
To get started, follow the instructions on your Israeli Couscous for cooking. I recommend toasting the Israeli couscous first, as this will ensure that the couscous doesn’t get too puffy, which can happen. I did mine in a saute pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. I added boiling hot water to it, covered it and simmered it for a few minutes. But again, follow the instructions on your Israeli Couscous. Once cooked, drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and toss to help with sticking. Refrigerate and allow it to cool.
Gather your other ingredients such as your arugula, diced cucumber, diced onion, kalamata olives and sunflower seeds. Feel free to use other greens like spinach, frisee or mixed greens.
Making your own vinaigrette is very easy. All you need is an oil, an acid and other seasonings. In this case, we are going to go with with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper and za’atar seasoning. Put your acid and seasoning in the bowl. Taking your time, start whisking and drizzle in the olive oil while you are whisking. This will create a temporary emulsion, which means the dressing will separate if allowed to sit for a longer length of time.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the israeli couscous, arugula, cucumber, onion, kalamata olives and sunflower seeds. Drizzle over your vinaigrette on this mixture and toss to combine. Plate up and set aside.
Your Halloumi will most likely come in block form. Slice that down in to wide slices. In a large sauce pan, very lightly oiled, over medium heat, start laying down your slices. You’ll notice the liquid starts bubbling out of the cheese. That’s normal and ok. This cheese will not actually melt though as we know it. Randy actually doesn’t like it for this reason… fun fact.
Let it brown a bit on each side and then immediately top it on the salad. One more sprinkle of lemon juice and fresh cracked black pepper. You are good to go! Enjoy this unique, light and delicious salad and dream of being somewhere warm on the Mediterranean sea during this cold January.
Israeli Couscous Salad with Grilled Halloumi & Lemon Za’atar Vinaigrette
Serves 2
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 1 box of Israeli Couscous, cooked to box directions and cooled
- 2 cups of Arugula (Spinach or Frisee works too)
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Za’atar Spice
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 12oz Halloumi Cheese, sliced length wise into 1/4 inch slices
- Lemon Juice & Salt and Pepper to Taste
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Israeli Couscous, Arugula, Diced Cucumber, Diced Onion, Kalamata Olives and Sunflower Seeds.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add lemon juice, za’atar spice and black pepper. Start whisking and slowly drizzle in your extra virgin olive oil. Once all combined, add salt to taste.
Drizzle vinaigrette over Couscous salad mixture and toss to combine. Plate up and set aside.
In a large pan over medium heat, spray with a little bit of cooking oil. Once pan is hot, place cheese slices carefully in pan. Allow to brown and carefully flip over. Brown the other side as well and then plate directly on to salad. Serve immediately and enjoy!