Grilled Halloumi with Strawberry Compote

Pairing super salty halloumi with the juicy sweetness of the quickly stewed berries is an unexpected yet delicious combination. Think of it as you would a cheese & fruit platter, revamped. The berries are cooked with a touch of balsamic vinegar & a bit of honey to bring out the sweetness & create a sticky glaze that works so well against the salty cheese! Fresh herbs & toasted nuts finish it off for a deliciously addictive appetiser to remember.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g strawberries, halved
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 grinds of freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 250g halloumi cheese, sliced into 1cm slices
• a handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped/torn
• 1-2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
• extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

METHOD

1. Combine the strawberries, honey, balsamic vinegar, pepper & salt in a small saucepan. Place on medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally (gently!) until the mixture is jammy and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet until very hot and starting to smoke, then place the halloumi slices into the skillet in one layer without touching each other. Cook on one side, without disturbing, for 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown, then flip over once and cook for a further 2 minutes on the other side. Remove halloumi from the skillet and straight onto a warm plate.
3. Top the halloumi with the strawberry compote, followed by the mint, pine nuts and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately, while still hot.

Notes:

• Serve with bread to mop up all the sticky sauce!

Prep time: 5 min.
Cook time: 10 min.
Serves: 3-4 (as an appetiser/snack).

Recipe and video created by Matters of the Belly. Click here to see her blog.