Winter salad with halloumi "croutons"
Indulge in a tantalizing winter salad featuring crispy halloumi "croutons". This culinary masterpiece delivers a burst of flavors and textures in every bite.
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 110g halloumi cheese (see Tip), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 450g baby potatoes, quartered
- 3 cups trimmed green beans
- ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- 8 cups chopped escarole
- ¼ cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
Instructions:
- Place the oven racks in the center and upper positions; preheat the oven to 220 °C.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add halloumi cheese and stir until coated; set it aside.
- Coat potatoes and green beans with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Ensure they are in a single layer. Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes. After that, spread tomatoes over the vegetables and continue baking until the potatoes are soft and the tomatoes are slightly shriveled, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Then, transfer everything to a large bowl.
- Switch the broiler to high. Using a slotted spoon, move the halloumi cheese from earlier to the baking sheet (keep the marinade for later use). Broil, stirring occasionally, until it turns lightly browned, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm up the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, and then cook for an extra 15 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in vinegar, the reserved marinade, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
- Add escarole to the roasted vegetables and carefully mix them with the warm dressing. To serve, top the dish with the halloumi cheese and hazelnuts.
Summary:
- Calories: 1644 kcal
- Fat: 102 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Carbs: 159 g
- Potassium: 5310 mg
- Magnesium: 376 mg