I can live my entire life on just eating bread and cheese, I just love it! One of those cheeses is Halloumi. It is a very interesting cheese, originally from the Middle East – primarily Lebanon, when eaten raw, halloumi, an unripened cheese, has a bit of rubbery, squeaky texture. But because of its high melting point, it is the perfect cheese for grilling or frying. And with a little bit of heat, halloumi becomes soft and savoury, with a nice salted flavour that is perfect for a light meal (breakfast or dinner) with some fruit and pita bread garnished with herbs. Here’s a quick one for ya:

Time:

10 min

Serves:

4

Good for:

• Nice light meal
• It’s bread and cheese – enough said, you can take out the bread if reducing carbs
• A good vegetarian option

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) package halloumi cheese, drained and cut into 3/8-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, garnish
• Oregano leaves, garnish
• Mint leaves, garnish
• 4 to 5 cherry tomatoes, cut in half, garnish
• Balsamic vinaigrette, garnish

Kitchen things you’ll need:

• Non-stick pan

Making it:

1. Heat a nonstick frying pan over high heat
2. Dry the halloumi cheese slices by blotting them with a paper towel.
3. Place the slices on a plate and brush both sides lightly with the olive oil to coat each side well. 
4. Sear the cheese in the hot pan until each slice develops a nice brown crust, about 1 minute on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other.
5. Place the fried cheese on a plate and garnish with the pepper, oregano or mint leaves, tomatoes, and vinaigrette.

Tips:

• It’s normal for the the halloumi will smoke as you cook it.
• Serve with some nice warm pita bread, to make pocket sandwiches.
• The cheese won’t melt, don’t expect it to, it will just soften.