Cheese Counter
Ellie and Sam Studd serve up a next-level burger starring the flavour-packed Mediteranean cheese. Bow down to this big bite.
Haloumi is the cheese to please.
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS us which cheese we always have in the fridge, the answer is haloumi. This all-star cheese brightens almost any dish with its lemony tang and delightful, slightly chewy texture.
Hailing from the tiny Mediterranean island of Cyprus, haloumi dates back thousands of years to when shepherds crafted it out of ewe’s and goat’s milk. The cheese was then gently hand-folded over mint leaves and preserved in brine.
The goat’s milk contributes to the citrusy tang, while the ewe’s milk creates a crisp, golden crust when the cheese is fried.
When selecting haloumi, seek out genuine, artisanal varieties. Look for an irregular shape – handmade haloumi looks like it’s been roughly folded in half. Before cooking, remove from the fridge so the centre isn’t cold when it hits the pan. Serve grilled and finished simply with a squeeze of lemon, or go all out at your next barbecue with our haloumi burger.
HALOUMI BURGER
SERVES 4 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 x 295g blocks Aphrodite haloumi, drained, patted dry, halved horizontally
4 brioche buns, halved
80g unsalted butter (we used Le
Conquerant butter), room temperature 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
1/4 iceberg or butter lettuce, trimmed,
leaves separated
1 small white onion, thinly sliced into
rings
SPECIAL SAUCE (MAKES APPROX 180ML)
2 dill pickles, drained, finely chopped 2 tbs tomato sauce
1/4 cup (75g) mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp onion powder
For the special sauce, place all the ingredients in a small bowl, season to taste and stir to combine. Set aside. Preheat oven grill to high.
Heat a medium non-stick frypan or lightly greased chargrill pan with the oil over high heat. In batches, if necessary, cook the haloumi for 2 minutes, turning once, until golden. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Set aside and keep warm. When ready to serve, slice in half widthwise.
Place the buns cut-side up under the grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute until golden and toasted. Spread each cut side with butter then generously spread the special sauce on top. Layer each bun with tomato, lettuce, onion and haloumi. Serve immediately.