G. & I. Keses - Gourmet Halloumi Cheese from Cyprus

Halloumi Cheese - From G. & I. Keses Dairy Products Ltd.

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HALLOUMI WITH WATERMELON AND TOASTED PINE NUTS
	Ingredients Small watermelon 1 pkt Halloumi cheese 55g (2oz) pine nuts 150g (5oz) mixed salad leaves
Method Cut watermelon in slices and remove outer green skin. Cut Halloumi into 2cm (1") slices. Toast pine nuts in a pan for 1-2 minutes over medium heat without using oil or under hot grill. Arrange salad leaves on plate with 2-3 slices of watermelon, add Halloumi slices and spread over toasted pine nuts. Serve.

WARM KESES HALLOUMI SALAD

Ingredients
  8oz Keses Halloumi - large dice
  1 Large tomato
  1 bunch roxket
  1 Heat lettuce
  Variety of greens

For the dressing
  2ozs Kalamata olives - Piped
  1tbs red wine vinegar
  4tbsp virgin olive oil
  Garlic (Optional)
  1tsp dry oregano

Method
1. Prepare the dressing with the olives and turn them into paste.
    Add garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar and olive oil.
2. Make the salad by cutting all greens to even size (in a bowl)
3. Shallow fry the Keses Halloumi in virgin olive oil. Dry the fried Keses
    Halloumi and place on top of the greens. Add
    dressing and mix thoroughly. Garnish with
    wedges of tomatoes.
4. Servers with hot pitta bread.

HALLOUMI KEBABS

Ingredients
  1 pkt of Halloumi cheese
  1 large red pepper, cored, de-seeded
  1 large courgette
  1 small onion
  8 bay leaves
  Lemon wedges (to garnish)
  150g (5oz) mixed salad leaves

For salad dressing
  2 tbsp olive oil
  Juice of 1/2 lemon
  1 tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Cut Halloumi into 2.5 cm (1") cubes. Cut and de-seed pepper into 2.5 cm (1") cubes. Cut courgette into 2.5 cm (1") slices. Cut onion into 8 wedges. Thread the Halloumi, pepper, courgette, onion and bay leaves onto 4 skewers. Make salad dressing by mixing all ingredients. Preheat grill and cook the Halloumi Kebab, turning regularly for 4-8 minutes or until the cubes of Halloumi are well browned. Garnish with lemon wedges, and serve on a bed of salad leaves. Drizzle salad dressing on top.

HALLOUMI WITH RED PEPPERS, CAPERS AND OLIVES DRESSING

Ingredients
  4 tbsp olive oil
  8 slices Halloumi cheese,
    I cm (1/2") thick
  4 large peppers, cored, de-seeded
    and cut into 2cm (3/4") strips
  2 garlic cloves, crushed
  2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
  16 black olives, stoned and drained
  1 tbsp each of chopped fresh mint,
    and chopped flat-leaf parsley
  Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dressing
  2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
  1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  1/2 small red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

Method
Heat oil in a large pan and gently fry the Halloumi until just golden and peppers are softened. Add the garlic, capers, olives and herbs, fry for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over Halloumi and red peppers. Serve warm with hot pitta or fresh crusty bread.


HALLOUMI AND TOMATO SALAD
	Ingredients 1 pkt Halloumi cheese 1 beef tomato or 2 large tomatoes 1 sprig of basil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Virgin olive oil, vinegar and oregano dressing
Method Cut Halloumi into 1cm (1/2") slices. Cut tomatoes in to 1cm (1/2") slices. Arrange a piece of Halloumi on a plate followed by a slice of tomato and a basil leaf. Repeat until you cover the whole plate in a circle. Drizzle over olive oil and season to taste.

BRIAM STUFFED HALLOUMI WRAPPED IN LOUNTZA
(SMOKED CYPRUS HAM)

Ingredients
  4 tbsp olive oil
  1 courgette, sliced
  1 small aubergine, sliced
  1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  1 tsp fresh, thyme or organo
  1 pkt 225g (8oz) Halloumi cheese
  2 plum tomatoes, skinned and sliced
  8 thin slices of lountza or smoked ham
  50g (2oz) butter
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing
  2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  1 shallot, finely chopped
  1 tomato, skinned, de-seeded and diced
  1/2 tbsp each of chopped black olives and capers
  1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method
To make the briam, heat oil in a heavy-based pan, fry the aubergine and courgette slices until tender. Stir in garlic and herbs, cook for 1 minute, season and leave to cool. Cut Halloumi into 8 slices with the briam, top with remaining Halloumi slices.

Wrap each Halloumi and briam filling in 2 smoked ham slices to make a parcel. Heat butter in a large frying pan, add the Halloumi and lountza parcels, fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Place on season to taste. Pour over the Halloumi parcels and serve.


BREAST OF CHICKEN STUFFED WITH KESES HALLOUMI
	Method 1. Flatten the breast of chicken and season. 2. Fill up the center of the chicken with Keses halloumi. 3. Roll and wrap it with foil paper and bake in oven for 20 minutes at 180^oC

FRIED HALLOUMI CHEESE WITH LIME AND CAPER VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients
  12 oz halloumi cheese
  2 tbsp flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  2 tbsp olive oi

For the dressing
  Juice and zest of 1 lime
  1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  1 1/2 tbsp capers, drained
  1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  1 tsp grain mustard
  1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

To garnish:
A few sprigs of cilantro

Method
First of all, pat the cheese dry with paper towels. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it into eight slices, including the ends. Now dredge in seasoned flour. Prepare the dressing by simply beating all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

When you're ready to serve the halloumi, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is really hot add cheese to the hot skillet—they take 1 minute on each side to cook, so by the time the last one's in, it will almost be time to turn the first one over. They need to be a good golden color on each side.

Serve them on warmed plates with the dressing poured over and garnished with the cilantro sprigs. This is good served with lightly toasted pita bread or Greek bread with toasted sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.

SEARED HALLOUMI AND FIG SALAD

Ingredients
9 oz halloumi cheese
6 ripe figs

1 large bag of assorted salad leaves

3 tbsp extra virgin oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

8 caper berries

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Heat a griddle or non-stick frying pan, and cut the halloumi into 8 slices. Cook on each side for 4-5 minutes, or until browned. Cut the figs into halves or quarters. Toss the salad leaves in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and divide between four plates. Arrange the halloumi on the salad leaves, with the figs and the caper berries on top. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

TIP. A perfectly ripe fig should be soft, but not so squishy that it splits when you press it lightly.