Grilled Halloumi, Chicory, and Mango Salad

I really enjoy salads as a starter – and also a really good opportunity to get creative. To date, I have cobbled together: A Watercress and Pomegranate Salad; Smoked Mackerel, Blueberry, and Fennel Salad; Flambéed Pear, Blue Camembert and Walnut Salad; and finally my version of the classic Salade Niçoise .

I have made many salads since, but nothing more effort thank throwing some raw ingredients together and whipping up a simple vinaigrette. They taste great- don’t get me wrong, but I was really looking out for another opportunity to create something which would be good enough to serve guests as a starter – something different, a little unexpected, and ‘designed’ – the idea that each ingredient has a distinct purpose, and each adds a little extra boost of flavour or texture. This got me thinking… how about a starter with cheese as the primary ingredient?

The first time I tried Halloumi – (the semi-hard, unripened brined cheese made traditionally from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk) was when studying at Cardiff University. A good few years ago.  A Cypriot friend I made there gave me a block of Halloumi cheese as a gift, and rather naively I ate it like a normal cheese and thought it was a tad chewy, salty and not exactly for me. I was, foolishly,  underwhelmed. 8 years later, I happened to go to Cyprus and stayed a week in Nicosia with Petros who was my classmate during my MA degree. I was introduced once again to Halloumi, and this time – it was a revelation – it arrived grilled and warm and served very simply with some salad leaves and lemon wedges. It was simple, yet delicious. Since then, I will gladly pick up a block whenever I see it in the cheese aisle. And, I have not repeated my original mistake.

I do enjoy strong flavour contrasts. In a similar way that the saltiness of Parma ham goes so well with melon, or even gammon with pineapple, I wanted to find a sweet counterpart that would really complement grilled Halloumi cheese. After some rummaging in the bottom of my fridge, I found a ripe mango and decided to get a little creative. This recipe is very quick and simple to put together, and one I will return to whenever the opportunity arises. My Grilled Halloumi, Chicory and Mango salad also contains rocket, spinach, lightly toasted pine nuts, red onion, lime, and, optionally, a little Parma ham. I am sure it is possible to ‘go large’ and have it as a main dish instead.

Grilled Halloumi, Chicory, and Mango Salad

Richard Bewley

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Starter

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 3

Ingredients

  

Grilled Halloumi, Chicory, and Mango Salad

• 1 x 225 g block Halloumi Cheese
• bag baby spinach leaves
• bag rocket
• 1 chicory trimmed and cut into thin vertical batons
• 1/2 red onion cut into thin wedges
• 25 g toasted pine nuts
• 1 /4 ripe mango peeled, stoned and but into small cubes
• 3 slices Parma ham optional trimmed, rolled tight, and each cut into 4 mini rolls

Mango Salsa

• 1 x red chilli deseeded and sliced.
• Remaining 3/4 of ripe mango coarsely chopped
• juice of 1 large lime freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp caster sugar

Instructions

 

Grilled Halloumi, Chicory, and Mango Salad

• Preheat grill to a medium-high setting.
• Unwrap the Halloumi cheese and carefully slice into 12 slices. Place on a baking tray lined with thick kitchen foil. Grill for about 3-4 minutes, until the top of Halloumi turns a golden brown, then turn over using a pair of tongs and repeat. Remove, and wrap in a clean sheet of foil to keep warm.
• Next, time to assemble the salad itself. On a medium-sized plate, layer a small handful of spinach leaves followed by rocket leaves. Next, add the red onion wedges, sprinkle with pine nuts, and scatter the small mango cubes.
• Then, scatter the chicory batons on top. Delicately place the Parma ham swirls (if using) on top.
• Carefully slice the Halloumi into sharp wedges, and evenly place around the base of the salad with the sharp tip pointing upwards.
• Finally, drizzle the salsa over salad and add 1/2 tbsp in the corner of the plate to dip Halloumi cheese into.

Mango Salsa

• Place the red chilli in the mini-bowl of a food processor, and blitz. Then add the mango, lime lime juice and sugar for 30-45 seconds oruntil the texture is thick and smooth.
• Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.