Chicken Halloumi Skewer

Cheese…hot cheese….

Halloumi is a cheese that makes the most endearing squeak with every bite. Squeak!

On the practical side:  it is an unripened cheese from Cyprus that can be kept in the fridge for months, as long as the package is unopened. It has a much higher melting point than other cheeses which makes it excellent for grilling or frying. It is quite salty and works wonderfully in salads with deep flavours like lentils and asparagus or fresh fruit like watermelon or strawberries.

With all its saltiness and squeak Halloumi is not an elegant food. This is the fare of casual garden parties and family dinners. At the same time it will turn the simplest quick meal into a little feast.

This recipe is impressively simple; or should I say simply impressive. The original recipe uses preserved lemons but well, as I have never ever made preserved lemons before, I just skipped them.

 Ingredients

(adapted from Donna Hay’s recipe)
Serves 4

Ingredients (8 skewers): 48 oregano leaves* – 9 oz (250g) halloumi, cut into 24 cubes of 2 cm – 2 chicken breasts cut into 2 cm cubes – 1 tbsp olive oil – 1 tbsp lemon juice – salt and pepper

8 skewers (wood or metal)
2-3 chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
oregano leaves (how ever much you like 16,24, 28)
250g (9oz) halloumi
salt and pepper

Recipe

1. If using wood skewers soak them in water for 15 min.
2. Cut the chicken breast into 24 cubes.
3. Combine oil, lemon with chicken cubes. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 min.
4. Cut halloumi into 24 cubes.
5. Skewer chicken, oregano leaves and halloumi.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Heat a (non-stick) pan. And cook the skewers for about 2-3 min each side until the chicken is just cooked through.

 Tips & Variations

• add pieces of preserved lemon to the marinade
• add chopped garlic to the marinade
• instead of using oregano leaves you could sprinkle the finished skewer with chopped mint

Serve with

• beet root salad and spinach mini frittata
• salad of quinoa, broad beans, radish and avocado
• salad of quinoa, kale, avocado and dried cranberries

Beets and Goat Cheese

Mini frittata

.

Broad Bean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Kale Avocado Salad

• chicken