I just returned from a trip overseas – first a close friend’s wedding in London, then a quick tour of Amsterdam. After reading countless reviews of Bakers & Roasters, I decided it would be a must-eat on the Dutch leg of the trip. The cafe itself is influenced by both New Zealand and Brazil – an odd combination in the Netherlands, though I must admit I was constantly surprised by the international restaurants throughout the small city.
I ordered a vegetable and egg breakfast bowl that came topped with grilled halloumi, a cheese I had not tasted since living in Israel. In fact, I had entirely forgotten about its existence until that first bite of the salty, chewy texture sent me right back to Tel Aviv. It’s heaven. I knew when I got home I would need to find it. On my first day back, I stumbled upon it at Whole Foods and decided to build my weekday lunches around halloumi.
With a combination of jet lag and impatience, I kept things simple: an Israeli salad, plain bulgur wheat, and pan fried halloumi with lemon juice. It made for three delicious and filling lunches and would work as a dinner, too. Proost!
Ingredients:
8 – 10 oz package of halloumi cheese, sliced in 1 – 2 inch slivers
1 medium cucumber, rinsed and chopped into small cubes
1 – 2 cups of rinsed, halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup of drained and rinsed chickpeas
1 cup of dry bulgur wheat
1 lemon
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Directions:
Slice the lemon in half. Combine the chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumber chunks in a bowl, squeezing half of the lemon over the mixture and adding a few shakes of salt and pepper before stirring thoroughly.
Meanwhile, combine the cup of bulgur wheat with two cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 or so minutes, stirring. Use a spoon to taste the grains to ensure they’re cooked, then drain off any remaining water. Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper while warm.
Pour a few drops of olive oil onto a saute pan over medium to high heat. Lay the slivers of halloumi on the pan flat, and let sizzle. Use a fork to lift the bottom, checking for browning. When the halloumi as begun to show bits of golden brown on the bottom, flip it. Squeeze a bit of the other half of the lemon on top, as it sizzles.
Once golden brown on both sides, remove and set on a paper towel-lined plate. Drizzle with any remaining lemon juice.
Serve the warm bulgur topped with salad and halloumi, adding additional lemon or salt and pepper as desired!
Fried Halloumi and Bulgur Wheat Salad
Print RecipeIngredients
- 8 - 10 oz package of halloumi cheese, sliced in 1 - 2 inch slivers
- 1 medium cucumber, rinsed and chopped into small cubes
- 1 - 2 cups of rinsed, halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup of drained and rinsed chickpeas
- 1 cup of dry bulgur wheat
- 1 lemon
- Olive oil, salt, pepper
Instructions
Slice the lemon in half. Combine the chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumber chunks in a bowl, squeezing half of the lemon over the mixture and adding a few shakes of salt and pepper before stirring thoroughly.
Meanwhile, combine the cup of bulgur wheat with two cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 or so minutes, stirring. Use a spoon to taste the grains to ensure they're cooked, then drain off any remaining water. Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper while warm.
Pour a few drops of olive oil onto a saute pan over medium to high heat. Lay the slivers of halloumi on the pan flat, and let sizzle. Use a fork to lift the bottom, checking for browning. When the halloumi as begun to show bits of golden brown on the bottom, flip it. Squeeze a bit of the other half of the lemon on top, as it sizzles.
Once golden brown on both sides, remove and set on a paper towel-lined plate. Drizzle with any remaining lemon juice.
Serve the warm bulgur topped with salad and halloumi, adding additional lemon or salt and pepper as desired!
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