Haloumi & Watermelon Salad

Serves 3-4

With this pretty and colourful salad, you have a perfect summer's lunch, offering plenty of zing and fresh notes, a nice hot nip and that satisfying crunch. Pick up a bottle of rosé and you're good to go for a fab sunny day simple lunch -simply increase the quantities of the ingredients to serve more people.

Haloumi and watermelon salad Photo: Julie Biuso

Ingredients

• ½ large iceberg lettuce
• 4 makrut lime leaves, shredded and finely chopped (or blitz in a spice/coffee grinder)
• 3 cups watermelon cubes (about 1 kg watermelon)
• 300g, or more, haloumi
• 1½ Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp chopped mint
• ½ tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• ¼ cup chopped toasted salted cashews
• 1-2 small hot red chillies, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

1. Trim lettuce and break it apart into leaves. Wash, dry and tear leaves into large pieces. Use scissors to snip the spines from the lime leaves. Chop leaves coarsely then process to a 'fluff' in a spice grinder, or chop very finely. Put watermelon in a bowl with chopped lime leaves.

2. Pat halloumi dry with paper towels. Slice 5mm (about ¼") thick. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Let the pan get hot, then add the butter. Once it has melted and is sizzling, add haloumi (cook in batches if required). Cook quickly until golden brown on both sides, turning with a spatula. Alternatively, cook the haloumi in sizzling butter over medium heat on a barbecue hot plate on both sides until lightly golden.

3.  While halloumi is frying, gently toss watermelon with mint, sea salt and lime juice. Arrange lettuce on plates and spoon watermelon into the centre. Top with haloumi. Garnish dishes with chopped cashews, sliced chillies and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

The nose-tingly freshness of mint seems welcome anywhere, but it really shines cutting through strong flavours and waking up jaded palates. Once picked, wash, shake dry and store in an opened plastic bag lined with paper towels in the fridge.