Fried Halloumi with Honey
Quickly transform Halloumi into a dessert, snack or appetizer!
Having infused honey on hand is always going to be right in my book. Honey pairs perfectly with the super salty halloumi cheese. Depending on what you’ve infused in your honey this can be served as a savory snack or a unique dessert as the case with some lilac honey I found tucked away in my cupboard from last spring, it only takes a couple weeks to impart its flavor, I just hid it from myself and forgot about it. I know what you’re thinking- cheese for dessert? Unless you’re talking cheesecake, no way. Hear me out, between the sweetness, light floral note the crunchy cheese nuggets take on an almost buttery flavor. Want a more savory snack to impress your friends? Think of hot pepper honey as an elevated version of cream cheese and salsa with tortilla chips. Hot pepper infused honey is simple, but if you’re low on time (i.e. you want this NOW) you can add a couple teaspoons of hot pepper/jalapeno relish to some honey and its gonna be just as good.
Ingredients
Fat suitable for frying, should fill vessel about 1.5 “
½ cup Flour of choice, GF works also
1 egg, beaten in a shallow dish
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs or Crushed Crisp Rice cereal
1 brick Yaya’s Halloumi
1/4 c Honey for serving
Equipment
Shallow pan for frying
Slotted spoon or spider
3 shallow dishes for breading station
Method
Remove the halloumi from the packaging and place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Cut into ¼ inch thick slices, and cut those in half to form squares. Blot to remove any remaining brine.
Prepare your breading station: Three Shallow Bowls; One for Flour, Egg and Crumbs.
Heat the fat in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until its 350-375 (hot but not smoking).
Toss the halloumi in the flour, evenly coat all surfaces and shake gently to remove any excess flour. Transfer the cheese cubes to the egg mixture a few at a time, evenly coat all sides until no pockets of flour remain, then into the breadcrumbs and toss/press gently until evenly coated. Work in batches to ensure good coverage.
Carefully place the breaded cheese cubes into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown. About 30-45 seconds.
Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or spider and place on a paper towel or brown bag to drain any excess oil.
Enjoy dipped and drizzled in honey (Hot: honey steeped with garlic and chili peppers, Floral: honey steeped with edible flower blossoms, or plain ol honey and a pinch of flaky sea salt)
Notes: Halloumi is a firm goat or sheeps milk cheese originating in Cypress. It is pretty salty, but its real claim to fame is that you can cook it without it melting. While you can eat it cold, it really comes to life when you cook it. It’s great grilled or fried and is a low effort show stopper you wont be able to stop eating. A quick sear is all it takes to transform this slightly crumbly cheese to a crispy, creamy, heavenly bite.
AIP Substitutions
Sorry AIP-ers, at this time I have not found a suitable substitute for Halloumi. However it is typically made with goat or sheeps milk and may more easily be tolerated. Keep checking back as I’ve got some ideas to make an AIP dupe!