Greek Salad, Halloumi and Chips
Greek salad served with fried halloumi and chips is a match made in sunshiny heaven.
I first had it at the age of 16, sitting at an outside table at a restaurant in Cyprus. It was the very first time that I had tasted halloumi and also the first time I’d eaten olives that hadn’t come out of a jar and I remember thinking how immeasurably more delicious they were when fresh.
Two years later I was back in Cyprus and went out for lunch with a couple of friends I had made there. I chose this dish again. I remember the bright glare of the midday sun on white buildings and the sparkling turquoise sea, the warmth on my skin, the salty tang of the cheese, and a heady realisation that so many new experiences and adventures lay ahead of me.
I can’t promise that this will make you feel as though the world is your oyster in quite the same way, but I do hope that it will bring joy and a little optimism to your day. For me it’s happiness on a plate, and I’ve been making it regularly ever since that first taste when I was 16. If possible, eat outside on a summer’s day.
Serves 4, cooking time 20 minutes
Ingredients
Neutral oil
2 large potatoes, cut into thin batons for chips
A block of halloumi, sliced
For the salad
½ red onion, thinly sliced
4 large ripe vine tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ cucumber, sliced or diced however you prefer it
100g feta cheese, diced
100g Kalamata, or black, olives
Small handful mint leaves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat oven to 180 degrees.
Line a baking tray with parchment and lightly oil it. Toss the cut potato with a tablespoon of oil and a large pinch of sea salt and then tip onto the baking tray. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes, checking and turning the chips a couple of times as they cook.
While the chips are cooking, prepare the salad by combining the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olives together in a pretty serving bowl. Sometimes I add in some salad leaves too, but I don’t believe that’s how it’ s traditionally done. It’s your salad though, if you want to add some lettuce, go for it!
Mix together the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust and then leave to one side until just before serving.
When the chips are very nearly cooked, slice the halloumi, heat a tablespoon of neutral oil (such as sunflower oil) in a large frying pan and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until soft and golden brown.
Pour the dressing over the salad, tear in the mint leaves, toss to combine.
Serve immediately with the hot chips and fried halloumi.