During a trip to Whole Foods last weekend, I happened upon a package of halloumi cheese. I’d read about it in Nigella Lawson’s Feast, had it in a dish at the Greek restaurant Kefi, on the Upper West Side, and had been quite curious about preparing it at home. So, I snatched it up, took it home, and promptly sliced it up. Following a Nigella recipe from the Food Network’s website, I sprayed a nonstick pan with Pam, plopped in the slices (about 1/4″ thick), and cooked them on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. The cheese maintains its shape and develops a brown, crispy crust, with a soft, chewy interior. Halloumi reminds me of a combination of feta and mozzarella, and drizzling it with fresh lemon juice amplifies its tangy flavor.
I’ve read that halloumi can be grilled as well. Maybe pair it with a Greek yogurt sauce, with lemon juice and dill?
Comments 7
That looks delicious!!! I’d like to pull apart the bread and eat it in little bits, sipping it down with wine.
Posted 29 May 2007 at 2:55 pm ¶What a lovely photo, I can almost taste that. The process sounds similar to the Greek dish “saganaki” where they pan-fry some Greek cheese, blaze it with brandy, then squeeze lemon over it before serving. The crispy brown bits on the outside of the cheese combined with the tangy yet mild goo inside is heavenly, all scooped up with some fresh bread…
Posted 29 May 2007 at 5:04 pm ¶I’ve been grilling halloumi for years now and it’s wonderful. When the surface is nice and brown and the center starts to pour out the sides, it’s perfect and ready to go.
If you get thick pieces, cut them down to half an inch thickness. You will get a quick and uniform heat. Works great on an indoor grill too.
Posted 30 May 2007 at 10:11 am ¶Hmmm — running to whole foods today to get some. Can’t wait to try!
Posted 04 Jun 2007 at 9:12 am ¶There is another cheese you can get that tastes almost exactly like Halloumi (i believe it is related) which you can fry the same way without it melting. I think it is called Caso Fresco it tastes almost the same and cost a fraction of the price of Halloumi. you can find it in large blocks in latino groceries. i like it better then Halloumi actually it is a little more mild.
Posted 23 Jul 2007 at 1:19 pm ¶@Maria
There is no bread. The cheese is crusted from frying in the pan.
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 9:10 pm ¶I’ve had this cheese on kebabs with a variety of veggies at a great restaurant (Samovar) in San Francisco….it is GREAT prepared this way.
Posted 10 Apr 2008 at 12:29 am ¶Post a Comment