Sweet Caramelised Nectarines with Hellim & Crunchy Almonds | Blossom Avenue

Sweet Caramelised Nectarines with Hellim & Crunchy Almonds

Published: 21 July 2021

I love Cyprus. There is no denying that. And when the weather in the UK is as glorious as it can be in the Summer, all I have to do is close my eyes, absorb the vitamin D into my pores, and fill my senses with the flavours, aromas and textures that remind me of being there. This recipe is an absolute corker, bringing together many beautiful Cypriot flavour combinations, whilst showing off just one of the fine, summery stone fruits currently in season.

I have combined the sweet and soft textures of nectarines with cinnamon and honey, along with the bright and zesty flavours of orange, lime and fresh mint, the crunch of toasted blanched almonds, the subtle spice of pul biber, all finished off with the squidgy, crispy saltiness of pan-fried hellim. You can also toss some cooked quinoa, freekeh or bulgar wheat in there too, but I’m quite happy with it as it is (preferably with a chunk of fresh bread to dip into those juices at the end). A complete flavour explosion, I really hope you enjoy this one as much as we do at home.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp runny honey

4 tbsp + 1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Zest of ½ large orange

1 tbsp + 1tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Zest of 1 lime

1 Turkish / Middle Eastern cucumber

1 x 250g block hellim (halloumi)

4 ripe nectarines

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp olive oil

50g blanched almonds

1/2 tsp pul biber

Small handful of fresh mint leaves

A sprinkle of sea salt flakes

 

Method:

Take the hellim out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start preparing the recipe.

Mix together 2tbsp honey and 4 tbsp orange juice and leave to one side.

Mix the remaining 1 tsp of orange juice and 1 tsp of lime juice together. Zest the orange and lime and leave to one side.

Slice the cucumber into thin angled slices.

Slice the hellim into 8 equal slices, then pat each slice completely dry.

Cut the nectarines in half and give them a little twist to pull the halves apart, removing the stone from the centre of one half. Leave two of the nectarines in halves, and cut two of the halves into quarters. Lay the nectarines, skin side down, on a plate. Mix together the remaining tbsp of honey with the ground cinnamon, and brush this all over the nectarine flesh.

Heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, and once hot, fry the hellim on both sides until golden and crispy. Remove the hellim to a plate lined with kitchen roll.

Carefully give the pan a quick wipe and place it back on the stove on a medium heat. Add the nectarines to the pan, flesh side down, and pour in any of juices left on the plate. Let the nectarines sizzle, and start to caramelise for a couple of minutes, then add the almonds to the pan so that they start browning in the pan, stirring them regularly. Check the nectarines and if they’re nice and caramelised, remove them to a serving dish, leaving the almonds in the pan.

Pop the pan back on the heat and add the pre-mixed honey and orange juice from earlier to the pan. Let the sauce reduce and thicken a little before adding 1 tbsp of lime juice, ¼ tsp of pul biber, and some of the orange and lemon zest and then taking it off the heat.

Arrange the cucumber, nectarine and hellim on a serving platter, and drizzle over the sticky almond dressing. Drizzle over the reserved lime and orange juice, and sprinkle a little sea salt on the nectarines and cucumber to serve. Finally sprinkle over the remaining pul biber and orange and lime zest, then the fresh mint leaves, and serve warm.

Written by: Meliz Berg

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