Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries
Ingredients
6 oz blackberries, divided
1 oz balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 oz good quality olive oil
3 endives, leaves separated
4 cooked beets, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
6 oz halloumi cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons pistachios, shelled
fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
In the jar of a blender, place 3 oz of the blackberries along with the balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and olive oil, and blend until it becomes emulsified, this will take under a minute. Pass the dressing through a sieve to remove the seeds and set aside. You could make the dressing a day in advance, if you wish, keeping it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep at least 3-5 days.
Prepare the salad plate by arranging the endive leaves and scattering with the beets and red onion.
Preheat the grill pan or grill. Brush the halloumi cheese lightly with olive oil on both sides. Place the cheese on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until it has grill marks and is beginning to melt. Arrange on top of the salad along with the remaining blackberries, drizzle with salad dressing and sprinkle with pistachios and fresh thyme leaves.
Serve immediately, with additional dressing on the side.
Notes
Since you are grilling the cheese, this is the type of salad that you need to serve immediately as the cheese will harden again as it cools. The cheese can be reheated if you wish (I’ve been known to use the microwave), but ideally, enjoy immediately!
If you don’t have a grill or a grill pan, not to worry – just use a frying pan!