Watermelon Salad with Grains and Grilled Halloumi Cheese
The entire time I was making this I was singing Beyoncé lyrics to myself. When a lyric gets stuck in my head I just can’t think of anything else. “I been drinking watermelon” – insert watermelon emoji here. Maybe I will rename this my "Beyoncé salad."
This is the perfect summer salad for your next BBQ; it combines sweet watermelon and corn with nutty grains, toasted walnuts and grilled halloumi cheese. Halloumi is a salty, briny cheese from Cyprus that has a similar texture to mozzarella. I love halloumi cheese or “grilling cheese” because it has a high melting point it can be grilled or fried without turning into a gooey mess, it becomes golden on the outside and is remains slightly rubbery on the inside.
Ingredients:
For the chili vinaigrette:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon chili powder
kosher salt
black pepper
For the grains:
¼ cup quinoa
¼ cup farro
1¼ cup chicken stock
For the salad:
½ cup walnuts
6 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise ½-inch thick*
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 ears of sweet corn, husked and kernels cut off the cob
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
4 ounces baby arugula
2 cups diced watermelon
Instructions:
For the chili vinaigrette:
In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper.
For the grains:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the quinoa and farro, and cook on medium-low heat until the broth is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork and set aside.
For the salad:
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Preheat grill or griddle pan to medium-high. Brush the cheese with olive oil and grill, turning once, until lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl add corn, scallions, parsley, mint, walnuts, grain mixture and arugula. Using your hands, tear the halloumi into bite-size pieces; add to bowl and toss to combine. Add the dressing to the salad, two tablespoons at a time, as desired and toss to coat. Add the watermelon and toss again to combine.
Serves 4.
*Note: Halloumi cheese can be found at Greek markets, natural foods and specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets. If you can’t find halloumi cheese you can substitute queso blanco or paneer.
