Grilled Halloumi, Peach and Tomato Salad with Croutons
This delicious heirloom tomato salad has sweet grilled peaches, crisp croutons and grilled halloumi cheese. It's topped with fresh basil and a simple balsamic dressing.
Combine lemon juice, minced garlic and fresh or dried oregano in a small bowl. Slice the halloumi into slabs about ⅓ to ½ inch thick. Don't unfold the cheese first. Cover the cheese with the lemon juice mixture and let stand to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Simple Balsamic Dressing
Whisk the oil, vinegar, honey and salt and pepper together or shake in a small jar with a lid.
Salad
Slice tomatoes and drain on paper towel.
Arrange a few fresh seasonal greens in the bottom of a shallow serving bowl. Set aside.
Brush the bread cubes and peach slices with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Once your indoor or outdoor grill has been pre-heated and well-oiled, add peach slices and bread cubes. Don't turn the peaches until you can see that the undersides have grill marks, about 3 - 4 minutes, depending on the temperature of your grill. Then flip the peaches and the bread cubes and grill until grill marks appear on the other side as well.
Halloumi cheese is best when it is hot off the grill. If you let it sit too long, or if you overcook it, it will be tough, stringy and rubbery. Wait until the peaches and croutons are done, then remove them from the grill and add the marinated halloumi cheese slices. They will only take 2 minutes on each side to develop perfect grill marks.
While they're cooking, arrange the tomatoes, peaches and croutons on the greens. Tuck the halloumi slices in among the peaches, and add fresh basil leaves.
Drizzle with Simple Balsamic Dressing. Serve right away.
Notes
How to prevent halloumi cheese from becoming rubbery:Don't cut it too thinly. Leave the slices about ⅓ to ½ inch thick. Halloumi only needs to be grilled for a couple of minutes on each side to develop beautiful grill marks and to become a little crispy on the outside and warm and soft inside.How to grill peaches:Slice a peach in half starting and ending at the stem end. Twist the halves to release them from the pit. Slice the halves into 3 or 4 slices, depending on the size of the peach. Brush with a little olive oil, place on the grill, wait until you can see grill marks forming on the underside, then turn and grill on the other side, about 3 - 4 minutes per side.