Although I am drawn towards eating meat I think sometimes vegetarian dishes can look nicer – I mean they just try harder (perhaps to make up for the lack of chewy flesh or something).
One revelation since meeting my wife is halloumi cheese. In my world if you cook cheese it melts. And you certainly can’t fry cheese – it just turns into a brown crisp. But halloumi has strange, maybe even mystical, properties. You can nuke that stuff and it keeps itself together. You can treat it like a lump of tenderloin pork and it will come out singing.
I got some halloumi cheese and made some kebabs:
Ingredients
- 1 block halloumi cheese
- 1 red pepper
- 1 red chilli
- 6 shallots
- Cherry tomatoes
- 1 punnet of button mushrooms
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mint jelly
First off mix the oil, chopped up chilli, garlic, lemon juice and mint jelly in a bowl:
Now chop up the pepper into big chunks, halve the shallots and add to the bowl together with the cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and the chunked halloumi:
Mix the ingredients together and then leave to marinate in the fridge for a half hour. Get a couple of long skewers (metal preferably) and alternate vegetables and cheese chunks till you reach the ends:
Place your kebabs on a baking tray lined with silver foil and place under a grill. Cook for about 10 to 15 mins, turning frequently to prevent the cheese from catching too much:
Once done to your liking serve with some garlic ciabatta, sour cream with chives, and some salad (if your in a really healthy mood):
I freaking love halloumi cheese! But I have to disagree with you about tofu. Maybe you haven’t had tofu prepared REALLY nicely before.
I.m sure I haven’t – it’s just not good tofu I think.
I call Halloumi Squeaky Teeth Cheese.
It’s like paneer, just kind of freakishly does not behave like cheese!
Good idea to put it on skewers and grill it, though.
Yes its no good raw
Really interesting & now I’ll have to see what this halloumi cheese is all about. Curious that it doesn’t melt all over the place.
How’s the reception on that pepper?
p.s.: friends don’t let friends eat tofu.
the pepper is one of those things that you get on with or just leave. The cheese is weird – its inedible raw but totally lovely grilled or fried
Loved the space alien peppers. Where is the other worldly wine glass? Actually, you can fry cheese. I’ve deep fried mass quantities using an egg wash and crumb coating. Cleanup is ugly. Better yet, stick to Halloumi kebabs or go to your local State Fair for the latest in fried things.
I had it! :O)
‘chunked’ is a very good adjective! this looks lovely and so healthy too. chapeau!
Not to be confused with the verb “chunking” !!!
very good!
Yes healthy sans wine maybe
I have only eaten kebabs with meat. But this is even better and healthier. I really need to get out more, I have never eaten halloumi cheese! And it sure sounds and looks delicious. Your recipe is such a great idea for the holidays!
TO be honest a bit of lamb in there wouldn;t have done any harm
Um, yes, some vegetarian dishes look good. There is no reason not to have a dice of meat with the halloumi on the stick.
Good man – i would have done that if i could have got away with it – a bit of lamb wouldn’t hurt…
Lamb and halloumi are perfect together
This sounds like a recipe for me! I love halloumi. Thanks!
Just pan fry it – fantastic! (my mother-in-law introduced me that one)
Looks very colourful and delicious.
Yes all the good things and it’s not too bad on calories too!
I have purchased halloumi before.. it’s a very unusual cheese with an awesome flavor.. these would be great kebabs!
Yes it doesnt taste of anything much uncooked but grilled its delicious!
Another of your faithful readers stumped by your “new” ingredient. I feeel like the first one out on the American show, “Chopped.” Now – where to find it?
PS: I especially like the red pepper space alien.
Thanks for noticing the alien – bless those skewers – i want more but can’t find them in the shops
Maybe it’s an American thing because we have tons of those skewers here . . . Did you try Amazon?
Its funny but i’ve no idea where they came from – i’ve just always had them
Heard of this but never seen “in action”. Awesome post, so informative and looks delicious too!
Yes a rare cheese, at least you don’t see it in most recipies
What a new discover this cheese ! Just thinking where is possible find it in Italy or which else use !! Thanks a lot !
Well i found out it comes from Cyprus so its not too far away!
Thanks, I’ll ask to some gourmet shops if they sell it!
Never even heard of that cheese before now. Interesting approach though, I too would be a bit bemused by a kebab with no meat.
Until a couple of months ago I hadn’t heard of it either – like tofu but it tastes of something
LOL. You are so right about tofu! I think I may have had halloumi cheese in a Greek restaurant in the US. I love the picture with the extra-terrestial peppers
Tofu is defintely the worst thing ever. After kale.