Granted, these are not the best photographs I’ve ever taken (turns out, white cheese is pretty hard to photograph…) and yes, halloumi and date is not the likeliest of combos, but this dish is a bit of a game-changer. I was in Malta in March, and somewhere along the way had a dish similar to this one. This is my attempt to recreate it. The sweetness of the date complements the super saltiness of the halloumi here very well.
What's the A to V?
Cheese is a great source of calcium, and in the UK, dairy products also contain iodine.
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 packet of halloumi cheese, sliced
6 medjool dates, halved and the seeds removed
2 tbsps of water
A drizzle of olive oil
Generous grind of black pepper
Optional - add a squeeze of orange juice or 1/2 a tsp of mustard to the olive oil to make a dressing (if you’re feeling extra adventurous)
Method
In a blender, mix together your dates and water until you have a smooth paste. You may need to add a little more water if the mixture is a bit lumpy.
Place your slices of halloumi onto a grill or griddle. Grill on each side for roughly 1-2 minutes, or until soft and golden.
On a plate, spoon your date paste into the centre and using the back of a spoon spread into a thinnish layer as evenly as possible.
Place your halloumi on top, with a generous grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of parsley if you wish. Drizzle the dressing or olive oil on top.