Cucumber fennel salad with halloumi
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 English cucumbers
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 medium shallots
- 7 tablespoons (105 milliliters) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) salt
- Pepper
- 1-1/2 cup (360 milliliters) white wine vinegar
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
Fried halloumi:
- 227 grams halloumi cheese, drained and cut into 1 centimeter slices
- Olive oil, for brushing
- 60 milliliters ouzo, for flambéing
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) pine-nuts, toasted
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- Fennel frond
- Extra virgin olive oil
Special equipment:
- French Mandoline with wide flat cutting blade
Directions
Salad:
- Cut cucumbers lengthwise and use a small spoon to remove the seeds.
- Use a mandoline with the wide cutting blade shave the cucumber horizontally to make fettucine pasta shaped strips.
- Core and shave the fennel into thin strips on the mandoline.
- Peel and shave the shallots into thin rings on the mandoline.
- Combine the shaved cucumber, fennel, and shallots in a bowl. Add sugar and salt and toss to combine, season with pepper. Let the mixture rest for one minute.
- Add vinegar, water, cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fried halloumi:
- Preheat a nonstick frying pan over high heat 400 F (205 C).
- Dry the halloumi cheese slices by blotting them with a paper towel.
- Place the slices on a plate and brush both sides lightly with the olive oil to coat.
- Sear the cheese in the hot pan until each slice develops a deep brown crust, about one minute on each side.
- In the pan flambé the halloumi with ouzo.
To serve:
- Strain and discard the liquid from the salad.
- Place a slice of fried and flambéed halloumi on a plate.
- Top the haloumi with the salad.
- Garnish with toasted pine-nuts, and pomegranate seeds, fennel fronds, and olive oil.
- Serve while cheese is warm.
