Recipe for 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 8 slices hard halloumi (dry the brine)
• 2 large, firm tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 4 cups tender spinach leaves with vibrant deep green colour
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup carob syrup
• 2 spoons shredded oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary
• Salt, Pepper

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry all the vegetables. Brush the peppers with olive oil and roast them in the oven at 180°C for approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally until they have a brown colour on all sides.
2. Cut the tomatoes into thick, equal sizes, round slices and brush them also with olive oil.
3. When peppers are roasted remove from the oven and peel away off the skins. With a sharp knife halve peppers crosswise, remove the seeds and leave them to drain.
4. Put them in a bowl, sprinkle with herbs, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Let them marinate overnight.
5. In a small pan heat 2-3 spoons olive oil and sauté the spinach on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, remove it from the pan and keep it warm. In the same pan saute the tomatoes on both sides for approximately 1 minute each side.
6. Add the halloumi to a hot griddle pan and cook until golden-brown griddle marks appear on both sides.
7. Serve traditional halloumi with a unique way: Place a little spinach onto the plate and stack alternate slices of tomato, pepper and halloumi on top. Repeat and top with a slice of pepper. Drizzle with carob syrup and finish with your favourite garnish.

Chef’s Tips

• Hard traditional halloumi has a stronger flavor and aroma.
• Saute tomatoes carefully so as not to melt.
• Add extra flavor and aroma to your plate by using flavoured olive oil with oregano, citrus and thyme.

Seasonal Food Commodities

Vegetables/Salad/Herbs:

Green amaranth, taro, zucchini/courgette, fennel, eggplant/aubergine, peppers, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, endives, dill, carrots, pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage, parsley, beets, lettuce, leek, chicory, celery, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, fennel bulb, green beans.

Fruits:

Kiwi, quince, apples, grapes, figs, persimmons, pomegranate.

Nuts / Pulses:

Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, dried figs, raisins, lentils, white beans, dried broad beans, chickpeas.

Fish:

Trout, freshwater bass, squid, octopus, mullet, whitebait, sea bream.

Poultry / Meat:

Chicken, lamb, goat, beef, pork.

Traditional Dishes:

Fig pie, palouzes (grape must jelly), soutzoukos, epsima (concentrated grape juice), quince paste, carob syrup, pasteli (sesame honey brittle).