A salad of divinely salty Halloumi on a bed of peppery rocket with juicy pomegranate seeds, pistachios and the most amazing honey roasted almonds….
Halloumi is up there as being one of my favourite cheeses, but not one I have in salads very often as its best served cooked. There are days when the effort is worth it though and it really doesn’t take too long to prepare. Pan-frying or griddling Halloumi transforms it from being quite rubbery into buttery soft cheese, and as a result taking you to cheese heaven! As it has a particularly strong salty flavour it works extremely well with fresh, sweet flavours such as pomegranate seeds, as used here.
As well as tangy pomengranate seeds, I like to add some honey-roasted almonds to this fabulous salad. They add an amazing crunch and also a much needed sweetness to contrast the saltiness of the halloumi. I have to confess that I couldn’t stop eating these on their own once I had prepared them! They really are quite moreish, so you will need to exercise some self-control…
The dressing for this salad uses pomegranate molasses, which you can find in most supermarkets and delis. Its simply pomegranate juice which is reduced down to make a thick, rich syrup. Surprisingly it’s not particularly sweet, which I thought it would be, but has an intensly rich flavour. For a fresher flavour, you could alternatively squeeze the juice from half a pomegranate over the salad. The tangy juice would act as a great dressing for the halloumi, and furthermore would be perfect if you are reluctant to buy pomegranate molasses just for one recipe.
Enjoy!
Halloumi & Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients
- 50g Raw Almonds
- 1 Tbsp. Honey
- 100g bag Wild Rocket
- 110g Halloumi, sliced into strips
- 60g Pomegranate Seeds
- 30g Pistachio nuts, shelled
- 3 Spring Onions, sliced
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp. Pomegranate Molasses, or Pomegranate Balsamic
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Method
Preheat oven to Gas 160°C fan.
Firstly prepare the almonds. Line a baking tray with baking paper and add the almonds, spreading evenly. Drizzle over the honey and toss to coat. Cook in the oven for 5 minutes, and then leave to cool until needed.
While the almonds are cooling make the dressing. Place all dressing ingredients into a screw top jar (or bowl) and shake (or whisk) until thoroughly combined. Season to taste, and adjust accordingly.
Next, heat a frying pan or griddle to a medium/high heat and carefully add the halloumi slices. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side until nicely soft and golden brown.
Finally, take a large salad bowl and add the rocket leaves, spring onions, pistachios, honey-roasted almonds, and pomegranate seeds. Carefully lay the halloumi slices on top, and then serve with the dressing on the side.
Fiona Lyne - A lover of healthy living, interiors, fitness, fashion and food.