by Susan Hanna
If you are looking for a tasty, light meal on a warm summer day, try this salad from NYT Cooking. Make the dressing and toss it with the chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach. Sear the halloumi until browned on both sides. Add lemon juice, honey and sesame seeds to the pan and toss until the halloumi is glazed. Arrange halloumi on top of salad and serve.
Serves 2-4.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and pure honey. I used Kevala organic tahini and President’s Choice halloumi, which are free of additives and preservatives. Unico and Blue Menu chickpeas are free of additives and preservatives or you can soak and cook 1 cup (250 ml) of dried chickpeas. Make sure the sesame seeds do not contain preservatives or anti-caking agents. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, divided
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tahini
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey, divided
- 1 (15-ounce/443 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed
- 2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5 packed cups (1.25 L) baby spinach
- Salt
- 8 ounces (227 g) halloumi, cut into ½- to ¾-inch- (1.25- to 1.88-cm-) thick slices, blotted dry
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white sesame seeds
- Preparation:
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, the tahini and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey until smooth. Toss in the chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach; season with salt and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the halloumi to the pan; cook until the bottom is browned and it easily releases, 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to flip the halloumi and cook until just browned on the other side, about 1 minute more.
- Top the halloumi with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey and the sesame seeds, and shake the pan to mix it together. Continue to turn the halloumi over, using them to stir the liquid and honey together, until browned all over and coated with the glaze and any seeds in the skillet, 1 to 2 minutes more. (If the honey threatens to burn, remove from the heat.)
- Arrange the glazed halloumi on top of the salad and serve right away.
From NYT Cooking
