Halloumi and Courgette Salad with a Lemon and Chilli Dressing

Serves 3-4

Recently I’ve served Delia’s Fried Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Vinaigrette for friends at lunch time. It’s a real favourite of mine in the summer as the dressing is so zingy it makes the cheese’s flavour really come alive. But this week I decided to come up with a recipe of my own that celebrates this wonderfully squeaky cheese. I was having a couple of friends over for lunch and had already decided to serve my Spiced Butternut Squash, Feta and Pomegranate Salad with flat breads on the side, but wanted another salad to accompany it.

I think raw courgette is fantastic in salads and it creates a lovely bed for the halloumi on this occasion. The dressing compliments both the courgette and the halloumi and is fresh with lemon and spiked with chilli to give a pleasing heat.

• Ingredients:

• For the salad:
• 1 large courgette
• 225g halloumi
• 2 tbsp plain flour (gluten-free if required)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil for frying

• For the dressing:
• 1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red chilli, finely diced (with or without seeds; if you leave them in then the result will be hotter)
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Step 1: Using a vegetable peeler, peel the courgette into long strips (avoid using the core) and arrange on a large plate.

Step 2: Cut the halloumi into slices about half a centimetre thick, place between two sheets of kitchen paper and pat dry.

Step 3: Season the flour with a little salt and pepper and press the slices of cheese so they have a light coating of the flour.

Step 4: Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat, and fry the slices of floured halloumi for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove and put on a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.

Step 5: Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shaking until amalgamated; alternatively, whisk in a bowl.

Step 6: Arrange the fried halloumi over the strips of courgette and drizzle the dressing over the top (you may not want to use it all – I used about two thirds – the rest will store for a few days in the fridge).