Name: Nectarine and chilli maple halloumi quinoa salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 shallot or small red onion finely diced; ½ lemon zested and juiced; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 3 nectarines; 250g cooked quinoa (I like the dual or tricolour); 1 small bunch of mint leaves picked and roughly chopped; 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped; 30g roasted blanched hazelnuts roughly chopped; 50g rocket; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; 2 x 200g blocks of halloumi

A grilled halloumi salad with nectarines in a large sharing bowl

DRESSING

1 shallot or small red onion
finely diced
½ lemon
zested and juiced
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

QUINOA SALAD

3 nectarines
250g cooked quinoa
(I like the dual or tricolour)
1 small bunch of mint
leaves picked and roughly chopped
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley
roughly chopped
30g roasted blanched hazelnuts
roughly chopped
50g rocket

CHILLI MAPLE HALLOUMI

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 x 200g blocks of halloumi

Method

step 1
Put the shallot in a bowl and season with a good pinch of sea salt, then pour over the lemon juice and zest and whisk in the olive oil. Taste and season. Destone and slice the nectarines, then combine the cooked quinoa with most of the herbs, most of the nuts, the rocket and nectarine, and dress with the dressing.
step 2
Whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup and chilli flakes, then use a sharp knife to deeply score the tops of the halloumi in a cross-hatch pattern, roughly 2cm deep, being careful not to go all the way through. Put them on foil in a roasting tray and brush them generously with the chilli maple oil. Heat the grill to its highest setting and grill for 6-8 mins, or until deeply caramelised and softened, basting occasionally with a little more maple oil.
step 3
When the halloumi is done, tip any grill juices into the salad and toss, then cut up the halloumi into equal-sized pieces. Divide the quinoa salad between plates and top with the halloumi. Scatter over extra hazelnuts and herbs.