Halloumi "Grilled Cheese" Salad, Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream

A “Grilled Cheese” Salad

Halloumi Cheese, Foraged Garden Herb Salad
Violas, Nasturtium Flowers, Nasturtium Whorls, Meyer Lemon Wheels
Tempeh Croutons, Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream

This primavera-is-right-around-the-corner-salad was inspired by a stroll through my garden. All of a sudden it seems that the herbs and flowers are perking up. Meyer lemons are in full swing. Additionally, my friends over at Food Network are featuring “Grilled Cheese” this week. I wanted my contribution to be a low-carb version of grilled cheese – queue up Halloumi – a semi-hard, brined goat/sheep milk cheese originally from the island of Cyprus, with a high melting point that makes it perfect for grilling.

The salad is meant to be nibbled, shared, perhaps as an appetizer. Take a bite of cheese with a bit of herb, or flower petal, crouton, or greens with a delicate swipe through the savory Meyer lemon whipped cream. It’s quite delightful. Halloumi is often garnished with mint, so be sure to try that flavor combination.

Years ago, I made a Meyer lemon cream dressing adapted from Chef Suzanne Goin. Here, I turn that dressing into a thicker sauce to serve on the side as a dip rather than as vinaigrette-style.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad, Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream Recipe

Foraged Garden Herb Salad:

Arugula
Mixed Lettuces
Lemon Thyme
Mint
Oregano
Chives
Nasturtium Whorls
Cilantro

Thyme, mint, oregano, chives, nasturtium whorls, Meyer lemon, and edible flowers – all from the garden.

Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream:

1/4 c. meyer lemon juice
1 small shallot, fine dice
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

In the small bowl of a food processor – blend juice and shallot, stream in olive oil.

Whip cream to stiff peaks in a small bowl with a hand mixer. Add half of the olive oil mixture. And mix until just blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Reserve the other half of the olive oil mixture to dress the salad.

Tempeh Croutons:

pre-cooked block of tempeh
peanut oil to stir fry

Cut the tempeh into crouton-sized cubes. Stir fry in hot peanut oil until golden.

Grilled Halloumi:

halloumi cheese
olive oil
meyer lemon

Slice halloumi into squares. Coat with olive oil. Grill in a hot panini maker until golden brown.

To serve: drizzle cheese with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

Composition:

Lightly season the herb salad with the Meyer lemon/olive oil mixture plus a bit of salt and pepper. Remember not to over-salt, as halloumi is salty. Arrange sunflower seeds, Meyer lemon wheels, edible flowers about the salad. Place halloumi on the side of the salad with a wedge of lemon, season with olive oil and Meyer lemon juice. Spread Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream to the side of the salad.

Spring will be here soon!

Food Network

featuring

Grilled Cheese

Comfort Food Feast is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite comfort foods. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board with over 250,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair!

And if my Grilled Cheese Salad got you in the mood for gooey things, you might enjoy taking a peek at other cheesy recipes from some fabulous bloggers below…