Summer is well and truly creeping up here in Melbourne we’ve had a few scorchers and it’s getting hot hot. I love summer so the hot weather is no sweat off my back (bad pun) but the one thing that does get me through is a bloody good salad. It’s not summer without some refreshing salads are my right? And hunni this halloumi and rockmelon salad is just that, uber-fresh, uber tasty and super quick.
For the Love of halloumi…
I don’t know about you, but I love halloumi cheese! Especially pan-fried halloumi in honey oh my that stuff is the tits. My mate and I polished off a 1kg bucket in a week that’s a lot of cheese but it tastes so GOOD!
Halloumi cheese originates from Cyprus and because of its high melting point its perfect for frying, which is good for us all because, halloumi fries! If you haven’t had them yet I recommend or get creative and make them yourselves they are da bomb.
Fun fact for you all, halloumi is commonly garnished with mint or stored wrapped in mint because the mint helps it to stay fresher for longer and makes it more flavoursome. In Cyprus, it’s common to eat halloumi with watermelon in the warmer months – love that. The traditional Cypriot dish was the inspiration for this halloumi and rockmelon salad.
How to make Halloumi and rockmelon Salad…
With only 6 ingredients this salad is a breeze to make, not much effort required from you hunni bee. You could even have a few wines and whip this up.
When frying the halloumi you’re going to want to go thin slices heaps of oil and drizzle with honey. There’s a fine line between perfect and overdone, trust me I’ve left my halloumi crisping for too long and it’s been charcoal!
About 5 minutes each side should suffice. The honey will give it the most amazing flavour, sweet and salty you can’t go wrong.
I also love this salad because it gives us an opportunity to use herbs and veggies from our garden. If you don’t already grow your own food, I highly recommend starting its dope! Watching them lil babies grow is amazing. We use our own silverbeet and mint in this salad which gives it an extra delightful flavour as we taste the fruits of our labour.
Top tips on how to make a luscious salad
- Don’t get distracted when frying the halloumi, we want crispy, not charcoal.
- Massage your leaves hunni bee, give the silverbeet a good proper massage or any leafy green that use giving them a good proper massage will help soften the leaves. I often eat the stems to reduce food wastage, but they can be quite tough so if you prefer not to eat them try and compost the stems.
- We use rockmelon in this salad, it complements the other ingredients delightfully. You could also use watermelon or anyother melon type you had laying around.
- Don’t skip the mint, it really gives it that fresh flavour. If you want to be super extra and give that extra level use chocolate mint, it’s the BOMB! Remeber to give your mint a clap to help release the aromatics.
- Don’t let the liquid from the frying pan go to waste pour that shizzle over your salad!
How to serve…
This halloumi and rockmelon salad is delightful by itself, however, you can’t go wrong with a good alcohol pairing!
That’s the perfect summer day a delicious salad with a crisp glass of wine. If you’re not into alcohol pair this salad with a refreshing flavoured water or mocktail.
If your thinking wine, which I am always thinking, my top pairings would be either a white or rosé, as this salad is light and refreshing keep it to the lighter stuff. Go to Choices would be:
- Dry Sauvignon blanc – try one from New Zealand or a Californian white would work well as they often have melon undertones.
- If you prefer something a bit sweeter a Moscato would work well with its usually fruity undertones.
- Dry Rosé would pair well and will play off the saltiness of the halloumi
- Thinking Cocktails? Good me too hunni you could go a simple watermelon spritzer, or a melon margarita would liven the meal up
- Keep it simple with a gin and soda garnished with cucumber.
- Don’t want to go with an alcoholic beverage? That’s ok hunni I got you covered infuse your sparkling water with some fresh berries, mint and cucumber for a fresh moment.
This salad would also be an excellent pairing for a juicy white fish moment or bring it to your mates’ BBQ or potluck for a sweet and salty moment.
What to do with leftovers…
If you’re whipping up this salad I would recommend playing with the ratios of the ingredients to tailor what you need at the time, as salads do tend to go off quickly due to the oxidation of the ingredients. This recipe will serve 6-8 people depending on whether it’s the main event or a side dish.
If you do have leftovers you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for two days maximum however to avoid food wastage which we all hate, just adjust the quantises so you can eat what you need.
As always, food is best enjoyed with your mates or your fam. Love around the table amplified by food.
Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Much love char x
Halloumi and Melon Salad
This delicious sweet and salty fresh salad will transport you to greek islands, utterly refreshing on a hot summers day
- 4 leaves Silverbeet (chard)
- 1 block Halloumi
- 2 tbsps Honey
- 2 Cups Rockmelon (or melon of choice)
- 1 Small Cucumber
- 10 leaves Mint
- olive oil (For frying )
- Pinch Cracked Pepper
Fry the halloumi in olive oil, black pepper and the honey until the halloumi is nice and crispy about 5 minutes in each side medium heat.
Dice up the silverbeet, melon if you haven't already, cucumber and mint making sure to give the leaves of a mint a good clapping before dicing.
Add the salad ingredients to a bowl and toss together, giving the silverbeet leaves a good massage with your hands to soften them.
Add in the halloumi when it’s done and pour the liquid left in the plan over the salad. You want all that leftover oil and honey in there.
Serve with your favourite glass of Rose or Sauvignon blanc or a boujee uped sparkiling water.
