Here is a recipe for Meatless Mondays: One of my favorite summer recipe books is Simple Food by Jill Dupleix. When it’s super hot and muggy outside, I find I’m not quite so motivated to put together a complicated spread for dinner; I’d rather just use a handful of simple, elegant ingredients to create something light, refreshing and satisfying and Jill’s recipes never fail, like this dish: tomato, string beans and haloumi cheese salad. I eat much less in the summer so for me this is a wonderful main course served with a chilled glass of white wine.
Haloumi is a Greek-Cypriot cheese that’s perfect for grilling or sizzling in oil. The rich, salty flavor negates the need to over-season the vegetables; just let each component of this gorgeous, delicious dish speak for itself.
Tomato, String Beans and Haloumi Cheese
Recipe by Jill Dupleix, Simple Food
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 8 plum tomatoes
- 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh basil, chopped
- 14-oz green beans, trimmed
- 14-oz haloumi
- 1 lemon, quartered
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange in a baking pan. Drizzle with one tbsp olive oil and mix together with garlic, sea salt, pepper, and basil; and bake for 30 minutes until soft.
- Cook the green beans in simmering salted water for 5 minutes.
- Rinse the haloumi, then cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Heat the remaining olive oil in a nonstick frying pan and, when hot, sizzle the haloumi slices until golden brown. Turn briefly and sizzle the other side.
Dressing
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Directions:
Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, capers and parsley together. Drain the beans and toss in the dressing. Arrange teh tomatoes and beans on 4 dinner plates, and top with haloumi. Drizzle with the dressing and serve, with lemon. Garnish with a sprig of thyme or basil leaves.
