If you’re seeking a salad brimming with health benefits and featuring an array of tasty and vibrant ingredients (there’s a saying that a more colorful plate indicates a healthier meal), this salad is just for you. Crowned with crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside haloumi, it can stand alone as a vegetarian lunch or serve as a delightful side to grilled lamb or chicken. The dressing is refreshingly sharp and tangy, providing a contrast to the haloumi’s saltiness while infusing the entire salad with a burst of flavor and a hint of heat.

Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)

  • 120 g mixed salad leaves
  • 1 each of medium-sized red, yellow and green capsicums
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 medium-sized fresh beetroot
  • 250 g mixed cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cobs fresh corn
  • handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 small bunch chives
  • 1/3 cup pepitas
  • 1/2 cup pecan nuts
  • 180 -200 g block of haloumi
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Spread the pepitas and pecans on a baking tray and toast for 10 minutes until fragrant and delightfully crunchy. Remove from the oven and let cool. Dice the capsicums into 1 cm square pieces. Peel and julienne the carrots. Peel and julienne the beetroot, keeping it separate to prevent its deep purple juice from staining other ingredients. Halve the tomatoes. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Chop the parsley coarsely and snip the chives. Prepare the dressing by combining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, capers, and chilli flakes in a small glass jar with a lid. Shake vigorously, then season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. When you’re ready to serve, mix all the salad components together and transfer them to a serving dish. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the remaining olive oil. Slice the haloumi into 8 pieces and fry until golden brown. Lay the haloumi atop the salad, drizzle with the dressing, and serve immediately.

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