Halloumi — Healthy, Grilling Cheese

I have to share with you the new food I learned about over July 4th weekend: Halloumi. One of my friends just started working in a cheese shop (”The Cheese Shop”) at Cleveland’s wonderful West Side Market and Halloumi was her contribution to our July of 4th cook-out. And what a wonderful surprise. This combination goat and sheep’s milk cheese is a traditional product of the eastern Mediterranean (Greece, Turkey, Cyprus).

When served uncooked, Halloumi has a fresh, uncomplicated taste, much like fresh mozzarella. However, Halloumi’s great characteristic is its much higher than normal burning point, making it an ideal cheese to grill–yes, grill. When seared for 3-5 minutes on the grill, the cheese takes on a unique flavor, much like a grilled mild fish. It also has that crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside trait, something like a roasted marshmallow. We marinated it in olive oil and chopped jalapeno peppers for a few hours and then grilled it with vegetables (as pictured above).

Halloumi is available in Mediterranean food markets and better groceries and food markets.

^{(photo © 2008 S. Mitchell)}