BBQ asparagus with honey halloumi
The beauty of grilling asparagus is that it’ll cook from raw straight on the barbecue, getting charred and crispy. If you’re not using a BBQ, then a griddle or even hot frying pan will work just as well.
35 MINUTES | SERVES 4 AS A SIDE | EASY
asparagus 500g, woody ends snapped off olive oil lemon 1, halved
halloumi 2 x 250g blocks, cut into 4cm cubes
smoked paprika 1 tbsp
ground cumin 1 tbsp
runny honey 2 tbsp
red chilli 1, deseeded and thinly sliced
garlic 1 small clove, crushed
hazelnuts a handful, toasted and chopped
mint a handful of leaves
1 Heat a BBQ to high or, if you’re cooking inside, heat a griddle to high. Toss the asparagus with a little oil and some seasoning. Put the lemon halves cut-side down onto the barbecue or griddle pan and leave untouched until really charred. Move to one side. Arrange the asparagus spears in a thin layer and cook for 5 minutes before flipping and cooking for 5 minutes on the other side. They should soften and char. Set both the lemon and asparagus aside.
2 For the halloumi, lay two pieces of foil overlapping and bring the sides up to create a deep roasting tray. Cut a piece of baking paper to fit in the bottom. Toss the halloumi, paprika and cumin with plenty of black pepper, then tip into the tin foil. Drizzle with a little oil and arrange into a single layer.
3 Put the foil straight onto the bars of the barbecue or onto the griddle. Grill for 6-8 minutes, turning with tongs every now and again, until the halloumi starts to catch and caramelise.
4 Once the halloumi is caramelised, pour over the honey and grill for 1-2 minutes or until sticky and glazed. Grab one of the charred lemon halves and squeeze it straight over the halloumi and into the foil, and toss.
5 Put the red chilli and garlic clove into a bowl and squeeze over the remaining lemon half. Pour in 2 tbsp of oil and whisk to combine. Season to taste.
6 Pile the asparagus onto a platter and top with the halloumi, scraping any juices from the foil. Spoon over the dressing, sprinkle with the hazelnuts and finish with the mint leaves.
PER SERVING 591 kcals | fat 42G | saturates 22.2G | carbs 15.6G sugars 14G | fibre 4.8G | protein 35.1G | salt 3.8G
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