GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD AND BLACKBERRY SALAD DRESSING
Grilled Halloumi Salad is a colourful, healthy and filling Mediterranean inspired salad. Pair it with a fruity salad dressing like the blackberry one I made at home. Ideal as a summer picnic, party salad or as light meal.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 200 g halloumi cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup coarse bulgur wheat
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup medium coarse bulgur wheat
- 1 cup cucumber slices
- 10 baby tomatoes halved
- 1 small beetroot cubes cooked
- ½ bell pepper cubed
- 4-5 red radishes sliced
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- ½ cup spring onion chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill finely chopped
- some salad leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
FOR THE BLACKBERRY SALAD DRESSING
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup blackberry sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp black pepper coarsely ground
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
COOK THE BULGUR WHEAT
- As I have used coarse bulgur wheat it needs to be cooked. If you use fine bulgur wheat then you don't need to cook it. Add hot water to it and allow it to rest according to the instructions on the packet.
- Add 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Heat it over medium till it begins to boil.
- Add ½ tsp salt and the ½ cup coarse bulgur.
- Allow the bulgur to simmer for 12-15 minutes till it becomes soft.
- Transfer the cooked bulgur to a plate and allow it to cool. If there is any water left then drain it out using a sieve or colander.
GRILL THE HALLOUMI CHEESE
- Cut the halloumi cheese into about ¼ inch thick slices.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan.
- Arrange the halloumi cheese slices in the pan. Lower the heat to medium.
- Grill the cheese till it becomes light golden brown.
- Flip the slices over and allow the other side to become golden brown.
- Remove the grilled slices onto a plate lined with a kitchen towel.
- Keep on the side till required.
TOAST THE PINE NUTS
- Wipe the pan with a kitchen towel.
- Add the pine nuts to the pan which is over low heat. Keep stirring them so that the pine nuts do not burn.
- Toast till they begin to turn light golden brown.
- Transfer the pine nuts from the pan to a plate. Allow them to cool.
PREPARE THE BLACKBERRY SALAD DRESSING
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper in a cup or jar. Whisk or shake to mix.
- Add the blackberry sauce and whisk well. Adjust seasoning according to your taste.
- Please note that my blackberry sauce already contains maple syrup so I didn't add any extra sweetener.
- If you want to prepare the sauce take about ½ cup blackberries fresh or frozen. Add ¼ cup water and cook till the blackberries become soft. Mash a bit. Add about 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup and mix well.
PREPARATION OF THE SALAD
- Add the cooked bulgur wheat in a mixing bowl.
- Add the cucumber, radish, pomegranate, bell pepper, spring onion, beetroot, dill and tomatoes. Mix well.
- Add the toasted pine nuts and grilled halloumi cheese. Mix well.
- Add the blackberry salad dressing and mix well. Alternately, serve the dressing on the side.
Notes
- Add salad vegetables of your choice.
- Add salad leaves of your choice.
- Can serve the salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.
- Add the dressing just before serving.
- This is a grilled halloumi salad, so no there is no substitute for it.