We all know the value of brown. The extra flavor we get when we brown foods. Meat – gray – yuck, meat – brown – good. Really it applies to practically everything: meat, chicken, pineapple, potatoes…all better when they have a crispy brown crust. But do you want to know my favorite??? Do you?
Cheese.
Seriously, brown some cheese, and I am swooning. Brown some salty, dry haloumi, and I will do whatever you want me to do. I will mop your floors, babysit your kids, give a pill to your cat.
Today’s fantastic brown cheese excursion comes from Donna Hay Issue #46. This was so good, I can’t even begin to describe it. It was like a BLT only in a salad form, and then made hugely better with the browned cheese. Seriously good.
Roasted Haloumi, Bacon and Tomato Salad
- 9 oz haloumi, sliced
- 4 strips of bacon, diced
- 7 ounces sourdough bread, cubed
- 2 T. olive oil
- 9 oz cherry tomatoes
- 3 oz baby spinach leaves
- dressing
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
Preheat the oven to 425. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl or jar and whisk or shake to combine. Set aside.
Place the haloumi, bacon, bread, and olive oil on a baking sheet. Toss to combine and roast for 5-6 minutes. Turn the haloumi and add the tomatoes. Roast for about 6-8 minutes until the bread is golden and the tomatoes are cooked through. Place in a bowl with the spinach and dressing and toss to combine.
*Notes – Next time I will roast the bacon by itself for about 5 minutes – it didn’t get as crisp as I would like it, then add the bread and cheese. Also, I didn’t use all of the dressing because I don’t like my bread to get soggy, so I very lightly dressed my salad.
Serves 4 (unless you’re serving me, in which case it’s 2 or 3)
katiez says
I have got to find some halloumie! I want brown cheese!
Brown bacon is pretty tasty, too ;-))
Cinnamon-Girl says
This looks crazy good! I love all the flavors in it!
Chris says
Totally agree, I like my cheese almost burnt!
Cristie says
What a wonderful looking salad! I'm not famillar with with haloumi, but with your glowing report it sounds as if I've been missing out.
My Carolina Kitchen says
Beautiful salad Pam. I just bought some haloumi after seeing it absoultely everywhere. I hear it's delicious and I can't wait to give your salad a try.
Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day.
Sam
Joanne says
Why have I not tried halloumi yet! Argh.
Debinhawaii says
I have this recipe tagged to make--I thought it looked so good but I have not bought the haloumi yet. Glad to know it is so good! 😉
grace says
delightful salad, pam! incidentally, i find it amusing that you consider mopping, babysitting, and medicating cats to be ranked similarly on the scale of unappealing work. 🙂
Chanel says
I love brown crispy cheese! I just had haloumi last night, such a great cheese to fry up
SDK says
Give a pill to your cat. Good one.
Mags says
You're such a hoot!
Great looking salad.
All Our Fingers in the Pie says
I love halloumi. One of my favourite cheeses.
Paula says
Give a pill to my cat? Ha! Sold. I'll make this ... I'll make anything you want if you do that!!!
This does look terrific. I'm really enjoying salads that double as meals. I've never had anything like this, so you can bet that this will be on my menu soon. They've recently started selling Haloumi here, so I' good to go! How's this for wierd. I like my salads very lightly dressed with salad dressing, but I actually like my bread a bit soggy with it! Yeah, bizarre, I know!
hehe ... I'm still laughing over the pill to the cat thing! 🙂
corinnea says
That looks so fantastic. I've never heard of that cheese.
Carolina says
Yep, love Haloumi cheese. Only the sound it makes when you're chewing it... not it's best asset.
But we ignore that because of the lovely taste 😉 I'll be making this salad.
Marjie says
Well, I'm won with bacon. Add cheese, and I'm swooning, too.
June says
Wow this looks amazing - oh and good luck even catching our feline. She'd win the "Catucky Derby", but I'd sure be willing to let you try. Now where do I find haloumi?
buffalodick says
I've had every cheese known to mankind- except that one! I'm sure I would like it...
raidergirl3 says
First of all, that looks yummy. Must try.
Second, it's true about the crusty and brown on food. We did salmon in foil on the BBQ and the bottom got a lovely crispy golden, like we usually get with potatoes. (due to the layer of butter on the foil I guess)
Betsy from Tennessee says
Okay Pam, I'll brown your some Haloumi --if you'll come and mop my floors!!!! Okay???
The salad sounds great... I love cheese also-but I don't have to have mine browned!!! ha
Hugs,
Betsy
Patricia Scarpin says
Pam, I could not agree with you more - I've made that salad and it's so good!
Love your photo - so colorful!
Barbara says
Oh yeah. This is a seriously good salad!
Peter M says
Pam, a fab salad taken to new heights with the awsome Halloumi cheese. Glad you an find it down there.