This is not a side salad. I repeat, this is definitely not a side salad! Inspired by a Turkish Gavurdağı Salatası, with a delicious walnut, extra virgin olive oil and pomegranate molasses dressing, this is such a simple recipe to put together but one to really impress your friends with. Try and get your hands on the freshest produce you can find and afford (local markets and smaller grocers are great for this too), as this really is the season to make the most of the best, juiciest and ripest tomatoes around. Perfect for fuss-free, intimate alfresco meze-style lunches and dinners, or to generously and appetisingly feed bigger numbers throughout the day alongside barbecued dishes.
Serves 4-6
250g hellim (halloumi cheese), thickly sliced
750g ripe tomatoes of your choice, thickly sliced / cut
100g baby cucumbers, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
100g continental / spring onions, very thinly sliced
50g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
100g fresh pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp light olive oil
50g finely chopped walnuts (reserve a few before chopping)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (extra to drizzle, see method)
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp runny honey
½ tsp sumac
½ tsp sea salt flakes (extra to sprinkle, see method)
½ tsp dried mint (extra to sprinkle, see method)
Method
Ensure the hellim is at room temperature before frying and pat each slice dry with kitchen paper.
Assemble the tomato, cucumber, fresh coriander, spring onions and pomegranate seeds and the few reserved walnut pieces on a large platter. There is no need to stir them together.
Mix together the finely chopped walnuts
Heat the one tbsp of light olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, and one hot, carefully add the hellim slices to the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side then remove to a plate lined with kitchen roll.
Nestle the fried hellim slices into the salad platter. Evenly drizzle the dressing all over the salad platter and finish with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes and dried mint to serve.
