I am keeping it light and fresh for the first post of the new year with this delicious Grilled Haloumi Couscous Salad. After the last week or so with all its festivities and celebrations I am sure we are all craving healthy food but certainly not bland celery stick diet food type of healthy food.
I spent the festive season in Beirut and have returned to Cape Town telling all who want to hear (or not) about this incredible city with its wonderful people and fantastic food. It was a Christmas lunch to remember this year as we had lunch at Chez Maguy in Batroun, about 60 km north of Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. The restaurant is practically on the sea and we dined on freshly caught seafood, grilled on the barbecue and each dish brought to the table as it was cooked. Added to that was local craft beer, delicious roasted eggplant salad, famous Lebanese Taboulleh and the most incredible view on a warm sunny winter’s day making it a lunch to remember for years to come.
I posted photos during the trip on my Instagram account and check out my Live Love Beirut post of last week to discover a bit more about this city.
A few recipes have come back with me and I can’t wait to start making some of my favourite dishes of the trip and to share them on the blog.
But back to this yummy salad.
This summery salad is packed with flavour, texture and a zesty lemon dressing to counteract the salty blandness of the Haloumi cheese. The salad is best served with the Haloumi still hot so prepare all the other ingredients beforehand and fry the cheese just before you want to serve it.
A perfect meat free Monday meal or I think a juicy roast chicken will be such a tasty combination with this salad. You could replace the couscous with quinoa as well.
A very happy 2015 to everyone and I am so looking forward to a year of cooking and eating with all of you. This is also going to be the year of video so watch this space!
Grilled Haloumi Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 400 g baby tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic peeled and halved
- 1 chili chopped (optional) (deseeded or not depending on your preference)
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 cup uncooked couscous
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 avocado cubed
- 300 g baby spinach leaves
- 3 salad onions sliced
- 350 g haloumi cheese sliced
- olive oil for drizzling
- Dressing
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs chopped parsley
- zest of half a lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C
- Place the tomatoes, garlic and chili in a roasting dish.
- Drizzle with some olive oil and roast for 30 minutes until the skins of the tomatoes are blistered. Remove the garlic and left over juice/oil in the pan and set aside for the dressing.
- Combine the couscous, salt and boiling water in a bowl and cover with cling wrap.
- Let it stand for 15 minutes and loosen with a fork. Set aside.
- Combine the couscous, tomatoes, avo, spinach and salad onions in a large salad bowl.
- Mash the garlic and combine with the lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, zest and juice/oil from the roasted tomatoes. Mix until well combined.
- Drizzle the haloumi cheese slices lightly with oil to just coat them and fry the haloumi until golden brown on both sides in a non stick pan.
- Place the haloumi on top of the salad and drizzle with the dressing.
- Serve immediately
More photos, food and travel stories on: Instagram Pinterest Twitter Facebook
Dawn Jorgensen
Jan 5, 2015
Looks incredible! Let’s lunch like this soon x.
hein
Jan 5, 2015
It’s a date Dawn. I have some 2014 chubbiness that needs to go away x
Suzy @ The Mediterranean Dish
Jan 6, 2015
This is a great salad! I am a fan of haloumi cheese, especially grilled or pan seared. Enjoyed your last post about Beirut! And dining on the shores of the Mediterranean is definitely something to remember.
hein
Jan 6, 2015
Thank you Suzy. So glad I have discovered your beautiful blog. Will definitely keep an eye on your recipes.
Ndani Recipes: Couscous Salad with Prawns and Avocado
Feb 7, 2015
[…] all the foodies, out there get ready for Ndani Recipes. Our first recipe is a simple couscous salad with pan fried prawns, avocado, goat cheese and sesame dijon dressing. Easy enough to recreate on […]