Greek: heart-warming traditional recipes, 128pp.
by the Australian Women’s Weekly Kitchens
ACP Books, Sydney, 2012
Cooking on page 32
No way I could resist this cookbook and the recipe on page 32.
I first tasted grilled haloumi (which I call saganaki) in 1976 at the Greek Club in Cairo, Egypt. These rectangles of salty firm cheese—grilled in hot oil and liberally doused in lemon juice—were one of the most amazing taste sensations I had ever experienced.
I had saganaki regularly during the years I lived in Cairo, and often make it at home in Australia. So on with the recipe.
Grilled haloumi
Ingredients
500g (1 pound) haloumi cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Method
Cut cheese into 1cm (1/2-inch) slices. Cook cheese on heated oiled flat plate until browned on both sides.
Transfer cheese to serving plate; drizzle with juice. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley.
How it played out
Made half a batch for lunch for Poor John and me.
I sprayed a small cast iron frying pan with olive oil and cooked the rectangles of cheese on high for 2–3 minutes a side. My only problem was that I used a haloumi in brine and they tend to spread and melt a bit before they brown, so mine weren’t as beautiful or firm and they should have been.
Served on a bed of rocket (arugula) with lemon wedges on the side.
Update: Since posting this, several people have said they have found it hard or impossible to find haloumi cheese. Here are some options. The original saganaki is made with graviera, but that cheese is hard to find here. Other firm cheeses that work are kefalograviera, kefalotyri, kasseri, sheep-milk feta, and even firm tofu and paneer. Hope this helps.
Verdict
Appearance didn’t make one bit of difference to the taste. I love saganaki (grilled haloumi) in any form.
Be sure to use plenty of lemon and eat immediately because they go tough and rubbery if allowed to cool.
Travel
If you love cheese in general, you should check out the ropes of unusual cheese we saw in a big market in Bhutan.
What's cooking on page 32 
Looks delicious…😊
It sure is. Hope you can give it a try.
Love this Peggy! One of my favorites!
Mine too!
I’ve read about haloumi but haven’t been able to locate it where I live even after checking for it on line. I was doing some shopping at Trader Joes, a small grocery store chain with interesting and different items at much better prices than in our regular food stores and found it there. Now, with your directions, I know what to do to try it for the first time. Perfect timing!
So pleased to have been of assistance. Let me know what you think of it. I will add a note that other cheeses can work for this.
I absolutely love halloumi. Your pic is amazing 🙂
Thanks so much.
I was able to find two variations of this Huloumi cheese. I like salty goat/sheep cheese and now adding some lemon and Arugala was the perfect match. I perhaps over fired the cheese so it came out dry.. but still good. Maybe next time I will try grilling it. nIce dish.
Oh wow, Sy, I’m so glad you tried this and had success (even if it came out a bit dry). Let me know when you try it again.
The dry/fried Huloumi was resurrected, 20 seconds in the microwave. I made a salad and added pieces of Huloumi, chicken, soft cheese, sliced pickle… and topped with Blue Cheese dressing. Nice on a Hot and Humid (92 degree) NYC summer day.
Good to know the microwave provided a rescue.
I love Haloumi and always prepare it this way. The caramelized outer part is my favorite. Love the combo of salty melted cheese and lemon juice. Thanks for sharing Peggy, 5* all the way. Made for CQ3 – Greece.
Thanks so much for making the recipe and for enjoying it so much.
LP! Thanks for posting this! Loved it. Got Haloumi straight from the greek market a few blocks from my house. Made as written in about 5 minutes. My only recommendation is to make sure you eat it right as it comes out of the pan. I waiting 5 minutes and the cheese had firmed up as it cooled. Taste was great and couldn’t be easier. Thanks for sharing LeggyP! Stacy G made for CQ 2016 Greece
Hi Stacy, so glad you found it to be a tasty and easy-to-make recipe. And you’re right about eating it immediately. Otherwise it goes sort of rubbery.
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