Honey-glazed halloumi panzanella with thyme

Name: Honey-glazed halloumi panzanella with thyme
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks if large, halved or quartered if small; 1 large shallot or ¼ small red onion, finely sliced; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 100 g (3½ oz) ciabatta or sourdough bread (a couple of days old is best), cut or torn into 2 cm (1 in) chunks; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste or finely grated; 15 g (1/2 oz) basil or anise hyssop leaves, torn or finely shredded; 1 tbsp honey; 2 tsp lemon juice; leaves from a couple of small sprigs of thyme; 250 g (9 oz) halloumi, cubed; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp thyme flowers, to garnish

Tomatoes, halloumi, good bread – what’s not to like? The honey-and-thyme-glazed halloumi is very special, and the purple-pink thyme flowers add beauty and flavour.

By Erin Bunting and Jo Facer

29 March 2023

Sharon Cosgrove

Popular chef and organic gardener couple Jo Facer and Erin Bunting who, from their seven-acre farm in Northern Ireland, run fork-to-fork supper clubs dedicated to celebrating organic farming, sustainable cooking and fresh produce all grown in their own farm have published their first cookbook dedicated to edible flower recipes.

Tomatoes, halloumi, good bread – what’s not to like? The honey-and-thyme-glazed halloumi is very special, and the purple-pink thyme flowers add beauty and flavour.

Recipe extracted from The Edible Flower, published by Laurence King Publishing, £25.

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Ingredients

Serves 4

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks if large, halved or quartered if small

1 large shallot or ¼ small red onion, finely sliced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

100 g (3½ oz) ciabatta or sourdough bread (a couple of days old is best), cut or torn into 2 cm (1 in) chunks

4 tbsp olive oil

1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste or finely grated

15 g (1/2 oz) basil or anise hyssop leaves, torn or finely shredded

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp lemon juice

leaves from a couple of small sprigs of thyme

250 g (9 oz) halloumi, cubed

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp thyme flowers, to garnish

Methods
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°∆C/350®¨F/Gas 4. Put the tomatoes in a bowl, toss with a couple of generous pinches of sea salt and leave for 15 minutes to release their juices.
Step 2
Put the shallot or red onion and vinegar in a small bowl to pickle lightly. This will make the onion taste a little milder.
Step 3
Put the bread on a baking sheet, add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and a pinch of salt, stir to combine and cook in the oven for 10 minutes, until just turning golden.
Step 4
Add the warm bread to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the shallot/onion and vinegar mixture, the garlic and the basil or anise hyssop. Mix gently, then set aside.
Step 5
Mix the honey, lemon juice and thyme leaves in a small bowl. Heat a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the halloumi for a minute on each side, until golden brown. Add the honey and lemon mixture; it should bubble up and reduce. Turn the halloumi in the honey mixture until coated.
Step 6
Put the tomato and bread salad in a bowl, arrange the halloumi on top and sprinkle with the thyme flowers. Serve immediately, while the halloumi is still hot and crispy.

TopicsEdible flower recipes 69 ways to eat cheese Work from home lunch ideas Starters & Sides Refreshing summer salads

Ingredients

Methods

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