If you ask us, salads should have big, punchy flavours and a robust, satisfying bite; they should please your palate and your stomach in equal measure. This salad does both of those things perfectly. Rustle it up in warmer months, serve with a cold glass of good white wine, and you will not be disappointed
Ingredients
For the halloumi
- 1 325g block firm tofu
- 3 lemons
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp nooch (nutritional yeast)
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- sea salt
For the salad
- 2 red onions
- drizzle olive oil
- 2 vegetable stock pots
- 600 ml boiling water
- 2 red peppers
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 200 g pearl barley
- handful fresh mint leaves
- 1 bag mixed leaves (about 150g)
- 1 lemon
- sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the halloumi
- Press the tofu to drain off any liquid
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a container, catching any pips in your free hand
- Add the olive oil, nooch, dried mint, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt, and stir to form a smooth paste
- Cut the tofu into 8 strips
- Put the tofu strips in the container and coat in the marinade
- Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours
- Preheat oven to 180°C after 2 hours' marinating time
Bake the halloumi
- Remove the halloumi from the marinade and bake it in the oven on the lined baking sheet for 25 minutes
While the halloumi is baking, make the salad
- Peel the red onions and slice them thickly
- Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
- Once warm, add the onion slices and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for about 10 minutes until the onion softens
- Mix the vegetable stock pots with the boiling water in a heatproof jug
- Trim, halve, and core the red peppers, cut into small cubes and halve the tomatoes
- Add the peppers to the onions and cook for another 5 minutes before adding the pearl barley and hot vegetable stock
- Cook the pearl barley according to the packet instructions until the barley has absorbed all the water and becomes soft
Griddle the halloumi
- Warm a griddle pan over a medium-high heat, lay the marinated tofu strips on the pan, and sear for 2 minutes on each side to create lovely dark griddle lines
- Transfer the halloumi to a plate and season with a good pinch of salt
Build the salad and serve
- Remove the pearl barley from the heat, slice the mint leaves, and mix through the pearl barley, along with the mixed leaves and tomatoes
- Halve the lemon and squeeze in the juice from both halves, catching any pips in your free hand
- Spoon the salad onto the bottom of a large serving plate and top with the halloumi slices