Taste Food: A cheese worth grilling

Who doesn't like melty, gooey cheese? Nearly no one, we might venture. However, in the case of applying direct heat and the fire of a grill, the concept of cooking a hunk of cheese and then watching it dissolve into a bubbling ooze of dribble on the grill grates isn't ideal. No worries: There is a cheese for this conundrum, and it's called Halloumi.

Halloumi is a unique Cypriot cheese that is made by cooking strained and pressed milk curds in boiling whey. Since it's prepared with such high heat, Halloumi maintains its shape when exposed to high heat during cooking. In other words, it's unmeltable. This allows it to be grilled and seared without liquifying into a puddle — perfect for skewering, grilling directly on the grates or an even sear in a skillet. Heck, you can even fry it.

While this cheese remains firm, it does not mean you will be chewing on a squeaky rubber band. Although Halloumi won't melt, it does, in fact, soften and relax, transforming into a tender, satisfying bite. It's also naturally briny and salty, which adds seasoning and contributes to the overall flavor of a composed dish — or in the case of this recipe, a hearty salad.

Grilled Halloumi and Quinoa Salad

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups red quinoa

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

2 (8-ounce) packages Halloumi

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

8 to 10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the quinoa seeds release their germ (white tail), about 12 minutes. Drain the quinoa and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Season with salt.

Cut the Halloumi into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot dry with paper towels, then lightly brush with oil.

If using a grill, grill the Halloumi over direct medium heat until it's well-marked, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. If cooking on the stovetop, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Halloumi and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the Halloumi from the grill or skillet and brush with some of the dressing.

Add the red pepper, onions, parsley, cilantro and the lemon zest to the quinoa and stir to combine. Spread the quinoa in a shallow serving bowl or divide between serving plates. Arrange the Halloumi and tomatoes over the salad. Sprinkle with the additional parsley and cilantro and garnish with almonds. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to taste.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.