Seared Halloumi and Fig Tabbouleh

5

PREP TIME

20 min

TOTAL TIME

45 min

Serves

4

Seared Halloumi and Fig Tabbouleh

(Recipes by Irene Ngo; Produced by Stephanie Han Kim, Sun Ngo and Aimee Nishitoba; Photography by Erik Putz and Christie Vuong; Food styling by Ashley Denton; Prop styling by Madeleine Johari)

Crispy halloumi cheese is the star of this dish—need we say more?


Ingredients

  • 1 250-g pkg Halloumi cheese
  • 1/2 shallot , very thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup coarse bulgur
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil , divided
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 cups packed parsley leaves , (about 1 large bunch)
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped mint
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes , halved
  • 6 black figs , quartered
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  1. Cut halloumi in half length-wise, then cut into 1⁄2-in-thick slices. Soak halloumi in a medium bowl filled with cold water. Combine shallot with lemon juice in a large bowl. Set both aside for 20 min.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bulgur following package directions. Drain and rinse bulgur.
  3. Whisk 2 tbsp oil with honey, lemon zest, sumac and paprika into shallot mixture. Add parsley, mint, tomatoes and bulgur. Toss to coat.
  4. Pat halloumi slices very dry with towels. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and then halloumi. Cook until golden, 2 to 3 min per side.
  5. Divide tabbouleh among plates. Top with halloumi and figs. Sprinkle with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.
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