After a whirlwind Easter Weekend in western Austria and southeast Germany that included some skiing and lots of bread dumplings...
I needed something on the lighter side for lunch today. Simple and easy - Halloumi Salad. Halloumi is a cheese that comes from Greece and Turkey. When aged, the sheep's milk (or goat's milk) cheese is firm enough to be grilled and still hold its shape. I often pan sear a few thin strips of halloumi in a small pan and add to a salad for lunch.
Here I have it with some beets and jarred marinated artichokes over lamb's lettuce. I find its not necessary to dress the lettuce because the halloumi is quite salty and the marinade dripping from the artichokes is flavor enough.
But, back to Austrian foods...we did sample plenty of apple strudel on our trip. Nate and I had lengthy discussions about the necessary characteristics of the best apple strudel. We agreed on ratio of apple to strudel dough, texture, and level of sweetness. We disagreed on the presence of raisins. He likes them, I couldn't care less of they never existed. So, of course, apple strudel recipe testing begins at home and posting should soon follow.
There's halloumi in the fridge. How lovely that you've provided a great way to eat it up!
Posted by: The Duo Dishes | Thursday, April 08, 2010 at 08:11 PM
I would be so green with envy over all your travels if you didn't always share something fantastic about them with the us! I don't blame you for wanting to lighten up your meals after those (deliciously hearty) dishes and halloumi salad looks great.
But I am now eagerly anticipating the results of your apple strudel testing . . . 8-)
Posted by: Tangled Noodle | Friday, April 09, 2010 at 03:01 AM
Tangled Noodle - Gathering my ingredients today to prepare for a strudel dedicated weekend!
Posted by: gastroanthropologist | Friday, April 09, 2010 at 09:56 AM
What a wonderful place to spend Easter! I'm really looking forward to exploring more of Austria and Germany in the next couple years. We hope to go back to Vienna and maybe to Salzburg in 2011. The cheese reminds me of the grilled cheese they make in Brazil, although I would imagine this has more flavor with the use of goats or sheeps milk. And it typically isn't eaten with salad there. Ha! Red meat all the way.
I am with you on the raisins! If they didn't exist it would be no concern of mine. :) Can't wait to see the experiments!
Posted by: Lori | Friday, April 09, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Love Austrian food, but as soon as I got back I had to say I had a strong craving for greens/salads, and I can see where this would fit the bill. That and I love Halloumi cheese, my weakness, that cheese drizzled with honey.
Cannot wait to see what you do with the strudel. BTW, I did not pay too much attention when I was there, but is the addition of raisins a regional thing?
Great seeing you when you were in SF, look forward to the next time to catch up.
Posted by: OysterCulture | Friday, April 09, 2010 at 04:51 PM
OysterCulture - I've got some halloumi left so I might just have to make myself a snack with it + honey.
I don't think the raisins is a regional thing - seems like most include them...I'm just being a pill and hate them.
So fun to meet up with you too!
Posted by: gastroanthropologist | Friday, April 09, 2010 at 05:11 PM
I'm a big fan of halloumi - love it along with portobello mushroom, fried in butter and sprinkled with lemon juice - divine...
As for strudel, I'm actually in your camp as far as the raisins go - I can accept that a classic strudel should probably have raisins but I'm really not too bothered about them myself. Looking forward to seeing the results of your strudel testing!
Posted by: Daily Spud | Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 10:10 AM
I also love Austrian food!
Also, I love Haloumi,..mmmmm!
I even made haloumi burgers!
Posted by: Sophie | Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 01:55 PM
That's funny about the raisins. But I love apple strudel (of course with the right filling to dough ratio!) and I can take or leave the raisins. But what about cherry filling? Yum! And those meals you had look heavenly good!
Posted by: Jamie | Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 04:42 PM
Jamie - Cherry filling? Will definitely be trying that when I get my hands on some good cherries this summer.
Posted by: gastroanthropologist | Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 05:02 PM
Hi Adrienne,
It was good to meet you at the conference yesterday. I've been browsing through your site and this post caught my eye...
We love halloumi. My kids call it "squeaky cheese" so that adds the fun factor to it. Our favourite way with it is a salad of chick peas, halloumi, cucumber, tomato, peppers, lemon juice, and lots of mint. Your looks lovely, so will have to try that as well.
Now must read your apple strudel post. We were in Austria over Christmas and didn't have nearly enough of it...
Posted by: Michele McCartney | Monday, June 07, 2010 at 09:57 AM
Michele - It was so great to meet you too. I will absolutely be trying halloumi the way your kids like it soon!
Posted by: gastroanthropologist | Monday, June 07, 2010 at 10:30 AM