New Potato, Lemon, Mint and Halloumi salad
I’m not sure if this technically counts as a salad?… but it seems you can call anything a salad these days & so I’ll let it stand!
I’ve used Halloumi here but if you want a vegan alternative you can use Tofu.
New Potato, Lemon, Mint and Halloumi salad
Serves 4
You will need
600g New potatoes
Bunch of fresh mint
1 fresh organic unwaxed lemon
250g Asparagus spears
250g Halloumi
4 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
light olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
balsamic glaze to finish
PREHEAT the oven to 200c
- Chop up the potatoes into bite sized pieces (probably halves for your average new potato). Place them in a baking dish.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of light olive oil (or other cooking oil) and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped mint. Mix into the potatoes, making sure they are all evenly covered. Season to taste. I don’t add salt myself, as I find Halloumi very salty.
- Bake for about 40 mins (ovens do vary so check after half an hour) you want them to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- Next the pine nuts. To toast them, simply place in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and stir fry until they start to turn golden brown (won’t take very long - just a couple of minutes - do keep an eye on them as golden brown can turn to burnt very quickly!) Once toasted, set to one side.
- Meanwhile slice the Halloumi into even pieces. (Tip: If you find Halloumi too salty you can soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for half an hour, then drain and pat them dry.)
- Steam the asparagus. If you have a steamer - great! I don’t and here’s how I do it.
- Place the asparagus into a saucepan with barely enough water to cover it. Turn the heat up high and cook for about 4 mins until the water has been absorbed and the stems are tender.
- I grill the Halloumi in the panini press - It just takes a few minutes to cook - but if you don’t have one use a griddle pan (and if you don’t have one of those, then use a regular frying pan). If you’re using a pan, lightly grease the pan, turn the heat up high and cook on each side for 2 - 3 minutes until you get those chargrill lines across the halloumi.
- To plate up, place a handful of spinach on each plate, divide the potatoes up on top, then add the asparagus and the halloumi. Finely grate the zest of a lemon on top and sprinkle the pine nuts over each plate.
- To finish, drizzle with a balsamic glaze (as shown) or squeezy mayo or any dressing of your choice.
Spelling is not my strong point, and often as I write this column I learn how to spell a word I’ve obviously been getting wrong for years! Haloumi is now Halloumi? Really?...........
By Ella Easton