Rectangles of halloumi are dusted in semolina or cornmeal, sautéed until crisp, drizzled with a warm, thyme-infused honey, and topped with crunchy pomegranate seeds. This recipe is inspired by a dish I kept returning to at the Loxandra restaurant in Nicosia, Cyprus and is one of the most popular mezze dishes that I make for my friends at home. Let’s be honest, you can never go wrong with fried cheese. Enjoy!
About “Ripe Figs”
“Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus” is the third cookbook written by Yasmin Khan, an author and activist based in London. Her book focuses on the Eastern Mediterranean where recipes traveled with people from one great journey to the next. She documents the recipes, ingredients, and pathways of people from the Ottoman Empire to today’s refugee population. She dedicates the book to the migrants.
More Recipes by Yasmin Khan
Dakos Salad Turkish Braised Green Beans Lemon Chicken Soup
It’s made from goat, sheep or sometimes cow’s milk. It is firm and retains its shape when cooked either in a skillet or on a grill.
Swaps and Subs
This recipe calls for pomegranate arils (seeds) which can be difficult to find in the United States outside of fall. If you can’t find fresh pomegranates, look in the freezer section for frozen arils sometimes you can find them there, or in the cooler section of the produce aisle where they are sometimes sold as individual snack servings. If you’ve lucked out and found a fresh pomegranate, but aren’t sure how to work with it we wrote a Guide to Pomegranates that will help you pick the freshest fruit, store it, and how to use up the extra seeds. When it comes to opening a pomegranate it can be tricky for first timers. If you’re looking for a hands on guide to walk you through cutting open and removing the arils of a pomegranate we have all of that information in our step by step guide on How to Cut and De-Seed a Pomegranate. Don’t worry if you can’t find pomegranate in any form. You can simply leave the arils out and the recipe will still taste delicious or you can experiment and try adding in another tart fruit like fresh raspberries. The texture won’t be the same, but you will get some juicy tart notes to balance the richness of the halloumi. Drizzle a little of the hot honey over each slice of halloumi. Finish with a smattering of pomegranate seeds and grind some black pepper over the top.
