recipe goodness :: spinach, strawberry & halloumi salad to knock your socks off

Spinach, Strawberry & Halloumi Salad

One of my favorite flavor combos is sweet and salty — what’s better than chocolate covered pretzels or PB & J?! This is one of the reasons that this is such a standout salad. Halloumi generally comes from Greece and is a distinctly salty cheese made of goat’s and sheep’s milk. When you combine that with the sweetness of the strawberries and the bright, citrusy dressing, you get all of the taste-buds jumping for joy. If that sounds exciting, then get ready for more — Halloumi has a very high melting point enabling you to grill it {redefining grilled cheese!} so when your guests are expecting a nice cool, refreshing salad, the element of surprise from the warm, slightly softened cheese will really knock their socks off. Opa!

spinach, strawberry & halloumi salad

1 bag of baby spinach, washed
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 lemon
1/2 as much olive oil as lemon
1/4 tsp salt
a few cranks black pepper
1-2 packages Haloumi cheese

Tip: People usually fight over the last of the cheese, so you might want to be nice to your guests and buy 2 packages of Halloumi!

Wash and dry your baby spinach leaves thoroughly. If you can only find large spinach leaves, tear them roughly with your hands so they are bite sized pieces and remove any long stems. Cut all of the strawberries into quarters or long slices depending on your visual preference and toss on top of the spinach in a large bowl.

In a separate container with a tightly sealing lid, squeeze the juice of one lemon and add 1/2 as much olive oil as the juice {exact measurers need not apply}. I prefer this to be quite lemony to contrast the sweet strawberries, salty cheese and very full bowl of Popeye’s favorite green. Add 1/4 tsp of salt and several good cranks of black pepper to the liquid. Set aside.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese

RIGHT before serving you want to grill or fry your cheese. If grilling, slice into 1/4 inch slices and place perpendicular to the grates on your hot BBQ {while this is a very firm cheese, you don’t want to lose any through the slits to the charcoal gods!} Once the cheese gets a light brown color on the downward facing side, turn carefully with tongs and brown the other side. If you are doing this stovetop, you can easily do in a non-stick pan with a small drizzle of olive oil, browning both sides until done. When the cheese has a nice toasty color, remove from the grill or pan and place on top of the salad.

Vigorously shake the dressing you set to the side to emulsify the lemon and olive oil and pour over the top of the beautiful green, red and white salad. Gently toss and serve.

This Crowd Pleasing Salad Also Goes Well With These Recipes:
Bison, a Better Burger Worth Biting Into
Whole-Grain Mustard & Rosemary Pork Chops
Pistachio-Encrusted Spring Lamb w/ Pickled Red Onions & Cumin Yogurt Sauce