Jo’s Halloumi and butter bean dish
My friend, Jo, has cooked this dish pretty much every time we’ve gone sailing … Turkey, Antigua and not forgetting Yarmouth on New Year’s Eve Eve.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped
- 2 punnets vine tomatoes
- 2 tins butter beans
- Juice and zest of one large lemon
- 2 sprigs of fresh mint
- 2 packets of halloumi cheese (approx. 450g in total).
- Salt and pepper
- Chorizo as an optional extra
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Wooden spoon
- Fine grater
- Sieve
- Frying pan
- Large pan
Directions
- Heat the olive oil and fry the onions until they are soft and caramelised
- Add the tomatoes and cook until they soften but still hold their shape. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the mint and mix with the lemon juice and zest
- Add the butter beans to the onions and tomatoes then cook on a medium heat until the beans are cooked through but still hold their shape
- Open, drain and slice the halloumi approx. 3 slices per person
- Using a fry pan (ideally this would be a griddle pan but this is a boat recipe!) brown both sides of the halloumi slices. Be brave, you need a heat high to get the colour, otherwise the cheese just boils in its own liquid. (Tip … it may be easier to cook the halloumi first, cover it with tinfoil and keep it warm in the oven.)
To serve
- Divide the onion, butter bean and tomato mix onto 4 plates or bowls
- Place 3 slices of Halloumi and a sprig of mint on top of each serving
- Pour the lemon zest dressing over the top of each serving