As the old adage goes, what’s old is new again. In this case, a cheese that has been enjoyed for hundreds of year in another part of the world, Cyprus, is now trending here America. Halloumi is a fan favorite for foodies, who love the idea of grilling cheese and adding it to a boozy mixture of dried fruits happily soaking in Sherry. The cubes of grilled Halloumi emerge as the surprise savory bite amid the sweet and spirited chutney-like combination, made all the better when it’s spooned on a slice of charred crusty French baguette. Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese that can be made from goat, sheep or cow’s milk. What makes it perfect for this dish is that Halloumi, known for its chewy texture and tangy taste, has an extremely high melting point, so it can easily be grilled without melting. There are many ways to enjoy Halloumi, but this is by far my favorite! I discovered it while on vacation last year and absolutely had to recreate it. This dish is simple to prepare yet it yields complex flavors from the first bite to the last. You can always find Halloumi in Middle Eastern grocery stores like Caspian Market in Scottsdale and Baiz Market in Phoenix. But it’s becoming more likely that you’ll find Halloumi in your regular grocery store. Please avoid the temptation to buy cooking sherry in the baking aisle. This recipe deserves a nice (and it’s inexpensive!) bottle of Sherry from the wine section of the store. Halloumi is becoming a rising star in the food trend universe, and this is the type of dish that will keep its star on the rise!
olive oil
Roasted Veggies in a Cheese Crust
Melted cheese over steamed vegetables has been has always been a popular side dish. But when I came across an old Iowa Farmer’s Almanac recipe for roasted vegetables served in a cheese crust, it turned everything upside down for me and became one of my favorite ways to enjoy seasonal produce. The instructions were as follows…
“Roast over a hot fire, one handful each of four or five vegetables in season. Make a crust of cheese and cornmeal. Use crust as a plate to serve vegetables in.”
I need no excuse to channel my inner farm girl, so I went right to the task of figuring out what kind of heat would equal a “hot fire” and which vegetables would taste best snuggled in a cornmeal and cheese crust. Whether you take my vegetable suggestions, or choose your own combination, you’re going to end up with a delicious festival of flavor in a savory cheese crust!
St. Patty’s Day Skillet Spinach Dip
Next week we’ll be celebrating Ireland’s patron saint by the wearing of the green, the drinking of the green beer and in this case, the eating of the green! I wonder if St. Patrick would love this incredible spinach dip which is, in itself, a celebration of flavors! This recipe, with its ring of bread rolls around the edges and a yummy dip in the middle is made easy by buying frozen dinner rolls rather than making the bread from scratch. Once baked, the bread easily pulls part to be dipped and dunked into a delectable blend of spinach, cheeses and spices. No Irish luck needed here. Just a straight -forward recipe that will most certainly get your St. Patty’s Day Irish on!
Greek Meatballs “Soutzoukakia”
Growing up Italian, homemade meatballs were a dinner staple enjoyed over pasta, in a sub roll or as savory appetizers before the main meal. But last week, while teaching a cooking class on Greek foods, I had to set my Italian roots aside and absolutely drool over Greek Meatballs known as Soutzoukakia. These morsels of magic have a wonderful combination of spices like cumin, cinnamon and oregano with a red sauce that completely enrobes them with even more flavor! Greek Meatballs are delicious with seasoned Orzo, rice or, dare I say, on a bed of Italian pasta?
Zucchini Balls with Dipping Sauce
We are right in the middle of Greek Carnival Season known as Apokries. Greek street foods are, of course, a big part of the celebrations. So this week I wanted to feature one of my favorite Greek appetizers, Kolokithokeftedes. Ok, that may seem Greek to you, but really, they are just delicious deep fried zucchini balls paired here with a fantastic dipping sauce, and pronouncing the word correctly is not part of the recipe, so don’t worry about a thing! (For the record, it’s pronounced Kolo-Keetho- Kef-ted-es.) You’ll love the crunch and the fabulous flavor combination of zucchini, cheese, onion, garlic and a hint of white truffle oil, made even more delicious by dipping them in a zesty red sauce. There’s only one more thing to say about this delightful Mediterranean treat, “Nostimótatos!” ( Delicious!)
Cheesy, Beefy Taco Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips
It’s everything you would want in a party dip. The combination of a sharp cheddar and jalapeno pepper jack, a kick from the poblano pepper, sautéed onion and ground beef, diced tomatoes with chiles all stewing in your favorite taco sauce makes this Cheesy, Beefy Taco Dip a real contender for your holiday buffet table. Add a platter of homemade flour and corn tortilla chips and let’s get this party started! I know that we’re always looking for great party foods this time of the year, especially for game days and holidays. This one will not disappoint. You can certainly choose to buy store bought chips, but there’s something really delicious about frying up some fresh tortillas that are crispy, warm and salted. These chips and dip are a match made in south of the border heaven!
