Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Halloumi cheese is the pride of Cyprus. This dish is a great summer appetizer showcasing the best of the best for Mediterranean ingredients and fresh flavours. For this recipe, it's pretty integral to get the best quality produce and ingredients, but its well worth it. 

TYPE APPETIZER
SERVES 2
DIFFICULTY EASY
PREP TIME 5 MINUTES
COOK TIME 15 MINUTES

 

Ingredients

  • 40ml good quality organic olive oil

  • 30ml good quality aged balsamic vinegar

  • A handful of finely chopped basil

  • A handful of finely chopped mint

  • A few tbsp sesame seeds

  • A small handful of roughly chopped marcona almonds

  • 15 green and red grapes ( a mix between the two)

  • 125gr fresh watercress or baby arugala

  • 1 block halloumi (250gr) cut into 1 inch thick slices

  • A few pinches of flaked salt (I prefer Maldon salt)

  • A few pinches of black pepper

  • Crusty baguette 

Directions

For the Vinaigrette:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, add olive oil (reserve about 25% of the oil for later) aged balsamic vinegar, mint, basil, sesame seeds, marcona almonds, salt and pepper
  2. Stir all ingredients together for about 90 seconds (You will notice the vinaigrette will start to thicken which is what we are looking for)

  3. Put vinaigrette to the side 

For the Roasted Grapes:

  1. In your All Clad pan (ask the client how they want this to read) set on medium-high heat, add half of the remaining olive oil into the pan
  2. Add grapes, and gently coat in the olive oil
  3. Add salt and pepper and again gently toss the grapes and cook for about 2-3 minutes minutes or until the grapes start to blister and caramelize
  4. Once grapes start to turn slightly golden brown, remove form heat and keep to the side.

For the Halloumi

  1. In your All Clad pan, add the remaining olive oil and set to medium-high heat.
  2. Gently add Halloumi cheese to the pan and make sure it cooks in the oil you've added
  3. Cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown (Keep an eye on the cook of the halloumi, you want a nice blistered golden brown)
  4. Flip the cheese and do the same to the back side which should take a little less for golden brown, about 90 seconds

Plating

  1. On a large dinner plate, scatter watercress onto the base of the plate
  2. Add 3 pieces or so of the cooked Halloumi onto the bed of watercress 
  3. Lastly, drizzle your vinaigrette so it hits the watercress and the cheese
  4. Enjoy with crusty baguette 

RECIPE BY

Chef Afrim Pristine

A celebrated Cheese Master, Afrim Pristine is revered as Canada’s foremost cheese expert. With a career spanning over 25 years, Afrim has dedicated his life to mastering the art and science of cheese, a passion deeply rooted in his family’s culinary legacy. As co-owner of Toronto’s iconic Cheese Boutique alongside his brother Agim, Afrim continues to uphold and expand the traditions of the family business, which has been a cornerstone of the city’s food scene for over five decades.