I have a bit of an obsession with halloumi at the moment. I love its irresistible saltiness, the way it squeaks between your teeth, and the way it grills to gorgeous crispiness on the outside and melting gooey-ness on the inside. Best of all, it’s perfect for vegetarian barbecues and grills, pairing wonderfully with summer vegetables on skewers where its meaty texture and satisfying flavour makes you wonder why anyone would bother with the faff of cooking meat.
Halloumi is best, in my opinion, when you take the time to marinate it in a simple mixture of herbs, lemon juice, garlic and oil, which is what I’ve done here. It really adds something to the final dish. I like to serve these summery vegetable skewers with a gorgeous rich yellow split pea puree, a bit like a dahl but flavoured with zingy lemon juice and lemon salt, enriched with oil and scattered with beautiful pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. It makes for a really great combination of flavours and textures; thick, smooth and earthy, it’s perfect with the fresh grilled vegetables and salty halloumi.