Grilled Halloumi and Peach Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
All I've been wanting to eat lately is cheese and summer produce. So here we are with this salad!
If you haven't had the pleasure of eating a perfectly ripe South Carolina peach, I feel very sad for you. There are few foods in life that are more perfect. I remember when Alice Waters, the famous chef from Chez Panisse, came to Emory to speak (where I was in my internship), she told a story of how she was meeting Bill Clinton when he was president. She knew she would only have a moment to speak with him, and wanted to convey the importance of supporting local food, so she gifted him with a perfect peach. That story was probably much more romantic in her telling of it. I can imagine Bill was like, "Ummm, thanks??" Still, I love the idea that a perfectly ripe peach was the food she chose.
I got a big bag of peaches at the farmer's market, and have been eating them in everything so I don't let a single one go moldy on the counter! On avocado toast for breakfast...drizzled with almond butter for a snack...with ice cream for dessert. Gotta get my fill in because along with tomatoes, peaches are one thing I just won't eat out of season.
If you haven't had halloumi cheese before, it's this briny cheese with a low moisture content, so it holds up to grilling. When you bite into it, it has this squeaky texture, which is why it's often called squeaky cheese. I paired it with tons of crunchy vegetables, and creamy avocado to pair with the juicy peach slices. Then I drizzled it all with a lemony, herby tahini dressing. If you like, this salad would be really tasty tossed with cooked quinoa too!
Grilled Halloumi and Peach Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced
- 1 head leaf lettuce
- Microgreens
- 1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 peaches, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
Dressing:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions:
- Heat a grill on medium-high. When hot, grill cheese for 2 minutes per side until grill marked. Let cool slightly then cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss lettuce, microgreens, bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion together in a large serving bowl. Top with peaches, avocado and grilled halloumi. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
More peach recipes:
Balsamic Roasted Peach and Fig Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Peach Chai Kefir Smoothie
Roasted Figs and Peaches with Mascarpone
