Halloumi Bites and Middle Eastern Pomegranate Salad

I love Middle Eastern food when the weather turns cold. The rich spices and hearty dishes are perfect fodor for a little chill in the air. I hope you enjoy this take on fried cheese, and a template for a bright fresh salad to lighten any meal.

Halloumi Bites with Hot Tomato Jam

From Levant: New Middle Eastern Cooking from Tanoreen by Rawia Bishara

Tomato Jam
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, finely diced
1-2 jalapeño chiles, finely diced (seeded if you prefer less spicy)
½ teaspoon cumin
3 cups diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons hot pepper paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Juice of 1 lemon

Cheese
1 large egg white
2 (8 ounce) blocks halloumi cheese
1 ½ cups seasoned breadcrumbs (seasoning: 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder, dried basil, lemon pepper)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Vegetable oil, for frying

Make the jam:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, chiles, and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook until tomatoes are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the pepper paste, tomato paste, and lemon juice and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens and reduces a bit, about 10 minutes or longer.

Make the fried cheese:
2. Cut each halloumi block in half horizontally and cut them into 2-inch squares making 18 cubes per block.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pan or dutch oven to around 375°F.

4. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, beat the egg white until frothy. In a second shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and spices. On a plate or third shallow bowl place flour. Create a dredging station: plate with flour, bowl with egg white, bowl with breadcrumbs. Lightly dust the cheese cubes with flour, or roll them lightly in the flour, then toss them in egg white, followed by bread crumb mixture. Place 5-9 cheese cubes in the fry pan at a time, depending on the size of your pan, being careful not to crowd. Fry until golden on all side, about 4 minutes.

Serve the bites immediately with jam on the side for dipping (reheat if needed).

Middle Eastern Pomegranate Salad

A template for bright, fresh, and tasty salads with Middle Eastern flare.

Greens: lettuces, kale, arugula
Herbs (optional): parsley, mint, dill
Vegetables: cucumber, fennel, cherry tomatoes, avocado, radishes, red onion
Toppings: pomegranate seeds, sliced almonds, toasted pita, crumbled feta

To make salad: Combine preferred ingredients in a large bowl (keeping toppings aside until ready to serve). A great combination is mixed lettuces, mint, cucumber, and sliced fennel. Feel free to play with it to find your favorite combination. Mix salad ingredients with dressing. Top with your choice, I like pomegranate seeds and feta, and serve.

Dressing:
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
½ tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

To make dressing add all ingredients to a mason jar, attach lid and shake, or if you prefer a very smooth