Hallelujah for Halloumi!

Sooo sorry! Got back late last night and failed to write a post. I was visiting friends in the country; enjoying a drink in the village pub, taking the dogs for a walk, meeting, greeting and walking with alpacas and eating a delicious al fresco tea.

The meat kebabs were cooked on the barbecue but the veggie ones were done very separately in the Aga! They consisted of assorted vegetables and halloumi cheese.

This is one of my favourites and a good standby for vegetarians. It comes from Cyprus and is made from a mix of goat's and sheep's milk. It comes packaged in brine and is best fried, grilled or baked so that it caramelises slightly without actually melting. It is often flavoured with mint or other herbs and has a long fridge-life. A friend of mine calls it "squeaky cheese" which is a fairly accurate description. It is certainly semi-soft and slightly springy, a bit like hard mozzarella.

I like it in my roast veg pasta (see post I DO(n't) like Mondays! dated 31/1/16) or simply grilled to golden-brown and served with a sweet chilli sauce or capers as an appetiser. In restaurants I have had it battered and served with chips and mushy peas ... a fabulous vegetarian alternative to fish and chips. Just don't add salt and vinegar; it's salty enough! A large slice in a bap topped with onion and tomato makes a satisfying "burger". You can even make a Halloumi pie using filo pastry for an authentic Middle-Eastern take on our goats cheese parcel!

If you've never tried it before try saying "Hallooo to halloumi" and if you have eaten it, try some of the above ideas for new ways of using it. It really is a versatile ingredient.