Fig and Halloumi Salad

Most people that’ve eaten in a Greek restaurant have tried saganaki, the fried and flambéed cheese doused in lemon juice to kill the flames and give some much needed acidity to balance the briny saltiness of the cheese itself. Many cheeses are used for saganaki, one in particular being halloumi.

Halloumi was my first introduction to cooking cheeses, that is, cheeses that aren’t used as an ingredient for their melting properties, like mozzarella, but that can hold their own in a pan, just like a steak. It is dense, dry and almost unenjoyably salty in its raw state, not unlike biting into an ounce of feta, but briefly ascends to greatness the moment it is cooked.

I was originally planning on throwing together a salad of halloumi, watermelon and mint, because I’d never made a watermelon salad before and I have entirely too much mint in my garden. However, the figs leftover from the Tarte Tatin were too tempting to pass up, so I went another route. Again cooking the figs to bring out their sweetness, and pairing them with balsamic vinegar for a mellow acidity that halloumi needs to keep it in check, this made a nice dinner for the evening.

Fig and Halloumi Salad

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil (canola, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon water
• salt and pepper

• 8 black figs, stemmed and halved
• 8 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
• 5 ounces mixed greens

1. To prepare the vinaigrette: combine the vinegar, oils, syrup, mustard and water in a jar with a tightly fitting lid and shake until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. To prepare the salad: Heat a large nonstick pan or grill over medium-high heat and cook the figs, cut side up, until they begin to pool with syrup. Set aside.
3. Cook the halloumi until browned and semi-softened, then flip to cook the other side. Once the cheese is ready, toss the mixed greens with the prepared vinaigrette and arrange on plates with the cooked figs and halloumi; serve immediately.

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