HALLOUMI SAGANAKI
ood evokes memories of people and places; it comforts and helps us heal in hard times and unites diverse cultures across continents. Migrant communities in major cities enrich so much of our lives, including our kitchen cupboards with interesting and exotic ingredients. In her new book, ‘Ripe Figs’ (Bloomsbury, £26), food and travel writer Yasmin Khan brings us a taste of the eastern Med. Travelling through Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, Khan shares recipes from a region brimming with culinary charm, transporting us to ‘cobalt blue skies and shimmering seas, sun-drenched islands filled with olive groves and citrus trees, and mezze-laden tables’. Beautifully interwoven are stories of the eclectic mix of people with whom she shares meals, as we’re invited into a discussion about migration, borders and identity. The book is a celebration of food but is also dedicated to migrants and the resilience of the human spirit because, even in challenging periods, people can always find communion around the kitchen table.
This Cypriot-inspired dish is the perfect appetiser and makes an ideal additional to any mezze feast. Sweet, salty, fried rectangles of halloumi are dusted in semolina or polenta, sautéed until crisp, then drizzled with warm, thyme-infused honey and topped with crunchy pomegranate seeds.
SERVES 4 (AS A MEZZE DISH)
300g halloumi cheese 1 medium egg
4 tbsp fine semolina or polenta
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
A couple of handfuls rocket leaves
4-5 fresh figs, quartered (optional) 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds Freshly ground black pepper
Cut the halloumi into eight thick slices. Beat the egg in a small bowl and sprinkle the semolina or polenta onto a plate. Dip the halloumi slices in the beaten egg, then roll them in the semolina or polenta so they have a crust around them.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan until hot, then fry the halloumi pieces for a couple of minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Place on kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Meanwhile, heat the honey in a small saucepan with the thyme.
Now assemble the dish. Place the rocket on a serving plate and arrange the halloumi on top, nestling the figs around, if using. Drizzle a little of the hot honey over each slice of halloumi. Finish with a smattering of pomegranate seeds and grind over some black pepper.