Grilled halloumi with pomegranate, walnuts and lemon salsa verde
Serves 6 as a little salty snack or 2-3 as part of a larger meal
Ingredients:
Serves 2-4 as a snack or entree
Lemon salsa verde:
1/2 a lemon
2 Tbls. parsley leaves, chopped
3 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tbls. olive oil to cook the halloumi
2 tsp. White wine vinegar
225g halloumi – sliced into 6 slices, approx 1 cm thick
¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
25g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
½ large fennel bulb (or one small) – thinly shaved, reserve some fennel fronds to garnish
1 Tbls. Quinby’s hot honey
Salt & black pepper
Method:
Start by making the salsa verde. Microplane half the lemon zest being careful to avoid the white pith. Next, cut it down the centre through the stem end and place the cut side down flat on your chopping board. Using a small pairing knife cut off the pith to reveal the yellow fleshed fruit underneath. Remove any seeds that it might have. Segment the fruit by cutting in between the white membrane and cut up the lemon segments into smaller pieces. Mix that with the lemon zest, oil, chopped parsley, vinegar and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Just before serving, mix the pomegranate and walnuts into the salsa and toss everything together.
2. Wipe out your nonstick pan and add 1 tbls. extra virgin olive oil. Heat over high heat again. Grill the halloumi until golden and crispy on both sides, just a couple minutes per side.
3. Place the halloumi on your favourite plate, top with thin shavings of fennel, then the pomegranate lemon salsa, a sprinkle of salt and black pepper and a last generous drizzle of hot honey. Garnish with any reserved fennel fronds if you have them.
