Dana Treat – Treat Yourself

Pulling a Barbara

Posted June 29, 2008

Sizzling Halloumi Cheese with Fava Beans and Mint
Serves 6
Adapted from
Bon Appetit Magazine

You can find Halloumi cheese at Whole Foods, Metropolitan Market, and even Safeway. Look for it near the feta cheeses. It costs about $8 for a 8 oz. package, so if you see it for more than that, shop somewhere else (I have seen it for as much as $14). This recipe says you can use frozen peas and frozen fava beans. I have never seen the latter so I would imagine that shelled edamame would be a good substitute.

1 1/2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
1 1/2 cups shelled English peas

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. fresh mint, plus extra for garnish

grated zest of one lemon

2 8oz. packages Halloumi cheese, each sliced lengthwise in to 6 slices

juice of one lemon

1 lemon, cut in to 6 wedges

Blanch and peel fava beans according to above instructions.

Place fava beans, peas, olive oil, 2 tbsp. mint leaves, and lemon peel in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until warmed through, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze lemon juice over. Cover until cheese is ready.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cheese slices and fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side.

Divide vegetable mixture among six plates. Arrange two slices of Halloumi atop vegetables on each plate, and garnish with lemon wedges and a couple of mint leaves. Serve immediately.

(Oh! I almost forgot to mention that I somehow got it into my head that I wanted to serve this wonderful bread from the Fields of Greens cookbook topped with herbed butter, thinly sliced (purple!) radishes, and a sprinkling of sea salt as an hors d’oeuvre. I am not sure where I got this idea but it actually turned out beautifully. Even Randy, who made a face when I described it to him, loved it. So, if you are looking for an easy nibble buy (don’t make it like I did) a dark hearty loaf of bread, slice it thinly and spead it with an herb butter which you can buy or make, then top with thinly sliced radishes and a sprinkling of sea salt.)


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