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Halloumi with yogurt and green relish

Hot, salty, chewy halloumi cheese is a constant craving. Here, slabs of melty cheese are smothered in a tangy, spicy, herby relish.

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Grilled cheese slices topped with a green herb and vegetable salsa on a bed of creamy sauce, drizzled with olive oil, served on an oval plate.

This relish is rooted in colour and vibrancy. The herbs, of course, are flexible, and you could use other soft leaves such as basil or dill. The shallot and garlic are important, to bring sharp pungency, which is tempered by the salty olives. The relish brings it all. In fact, if you cut the ingredients into bigger pieces, it could easily be eaten as a salad (use less olive oil).

Note: the relish makes much more than you need for this recipe so halve it if you don’t want too much leftover. Though I really advise AGAINST doing this because the relish keeps for a few days so you can treat it as a sauce for other meals. See more below!

This is a side dish, or a salady salad that can simply be eaten with flatbread or crusty sourdough for a light meal. I have found so many uses for the relish this week, I’m rather obsessed with it. Or here are other ways to use elements of this recipe:

For vegans, serve the relish with pan-fried tofu slices or roasted vegetables. This relish would particularly pair well with sweet potato.
For thanksgiving tables, serve the relish with roasted potatoes or toss through boiled New potatoes for a herby salad – see photo below
For weeknight dinner that is heartier, add a can of chickpeas. You can stir the chickpeas into the salsa or serve it on top of the haloumi, and spoon the relish over the top. Similarly, make a layered dippy salad by adding quinoa on top of the yogurt, topped by the haloumi and relish.
Cut the haloumi into cubes and toss with black lentils, and the relish
Other green things to add to the relish: avocado, cucumber, zucchini, celery

Halloumi with yogurt and green relish

Serves

Ingredients

160 g Greek plain yogurt
sea salt and black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
2 (250g / 8.8-ounces) blocks halloumi, cut into ½-inch/1.25cm slices

Green Relish

1 small green bell pepper (capsicum), finely chopped
30 g cilantro (coriander) or parsley leaves, finely chopped
30 g mint leaves, finely chopped
1 shallot eschalot or small red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
70 g Castelvetrano olives, pitted and finely chopped
½ jalapeno pepper or green chili, finely chopped
70 g toasted pistachios, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
80 ml extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

To make the green relish, place the bell pepper (capsicum), coriander or parsley, mint, shallot or red onion, garlic, olives, jalapeno, and pistachios in a bowl. Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon of salt (or more to your liking) and a big pinch of black pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
On a large serving plate or two smaller ones, dollop the yoghurt into the center. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir together. Smear the yogurt so it covers most of the plate.
Heat a large (about 12-inches / 25cm) skillet (frying pan) on medium high heat for 2 minutes, until very hot. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then, working in batches if necessary, add the haloumi slices and cook until golden, about 45 to 60 seconds, and then flip them over and cook the other side until it is also golden, another 45 to 60 seconds or so. When they are ready, remove them and place the haloumi straight onto plate with the yoghurt, lining them up in an overlapping row or pattern.
Spoon the relish over the top over the haloumi and serve immediately.
Tip: the relish keeps in the fridge for 3 days or more.