Grilled Halloumi with Pickled Onions

When you marry someone from another country, as my best friend did, sometimes there are profound differences in ordinary routines from day to day. Those differences take the form of when to eat, for example, or what to eat for breakfast. Michele would think nothing of running out the door with a piece of cold pizza on her way to work, but her husband, not so much. Fortunately, one morning years ago when George introduced her to halloumi, a sheep and goat cheese from Cyprus, it was love at first bite. He grilled it over a low flame on the stovetop and served it to her with coffee and Mandarin orange slices. “When we are married, I will always peel your Mandarin oranges,” he promised, and he’s done it ever since. She swears he has!

Now, their love didn’t blossom over their shared love of this Cypriot cheese, but halloumi is so good that it could have; it’s probably powerful enough. It’s certainly strong enough to be grilled by itself, in pieces, without melting all over the place. It’s firm, squeaky, sharp, and holds its own in a flatbread sandwich.

You might successfully find halloumi in grocery stores or specialty gourmet shops with a strong Greek foods selection, or online. And when you do, buy some Mandarin oranges too, to have on the side…

-Amy at Flatout