Doug Cooking's Recipe: Watermelon and Grilled Halloumi Salad
By: Doug Heilman
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- One of my mottos: Cook and eat curiously. I love wandering through family-owned shops in our Strip District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, picking up a random ingredient here and there to try something new.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be featuring several dishes with a few of those finds. Just like good salts and spices, I think there's room for both local honey, as well as one from another land in my pantry. The same goes for olive oil, cheese, and canned goods. So here are a few recipes featuring my quality purchases, all imported from the EU. Hope you enjoy these dishes, and that you get curious to try something new as well.
Watermelon and Grilled Halloumi Salad
For the halloumi & salad...
16 ounces of Halloumi cheese
3-4 cups Diced watermelon, 1-inch chunks (preferably seedless)
6 cups Arugula
1 cup Fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup Shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Slice halloumi cheese into 8 equal portions (2 ounces each), and then coat
lightly with olive oil. Transfer halloumi slices to a preheated oiled & cleaned grill,
grill pan, or sauté pan. Grill until nice browning is achieved then turnover and
repeat.
Meanwhile, scatter arugula into a serving container as a base. Add watermelon
cubes and fresh mint over the arugula.
Place the grilled halloumi onto the salad. Sprinkle pistachios over the salad.
For the dressing...
1/2 cup Olive Oil, plus more for grilling halloumi cheese
1/4 cup Fresh orange juice
1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons Honey
1 tablespoon Minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
In a liquid measure, combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk to combine.
Pour enough dressing over the salad to moisten, reserving some for later. Enjoy!
From last week's PTL: Cretan Dakos Salad on Rusks