Oh this salad. This salad is just such a delightful time. The textures and flavours basically sing and I just can’t stop eating it.

Moghrabieh, also called giant Cous Cous ties the roast carrots, crunchy nuts, sour cherries and salty sweet Haloumi together. The fresh herbs keep everything fresh and bright. I’m

Obsessed with sour cherries at the moment. These dried cherries are chewy and the perfect balance of sour and sweet. Along with the walnuts they add amazing texture to the salad.

The salad is simply dressed so that the ingredients can shine and that Haloumi gets to be the star of the show. It’s important to toss the Haloumi in the honey dressing while it’s hot so the dressing evenly coats it. You can serve the salad warm or cold – both are lovely.

Serves 4 as a side salad, 2 as a main.

Ingredients

2 x bunch of Dutch carrots (the ones with green tops) I used multi coloured bunches

2 cloves garlic, skin on

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 cup moghrabieh (Pearl or giant Cous Cous)

1/3 cup mint, roughly chopped

2/3 cup flat leaf parsley , roughly chopped

1/4 cup sour cherries, roughly chopped

1/3 cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

120g Haloumi, sliced 5mm thick

Honey Glaze

2 tsps honey

Juice and zest of half a lemon

1 tsp sumac

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 C (fan forced). Line a tray with baking paper.

Chop carrots in half lengthways then again horizontally. Spread in a single layer on your tray. Drizzle with 1 Tbs oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic cloves. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, and roast the carrots for a further 10 mins or until they have a little colour and the little ends are crispy.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling rapidly, place the moghrabieh in the water and cook until just done. Use plenty of water and keep the moghrabieh moving so it doesn’t stick.

Once tender, drain and toss with a squeeze of lemon and a tsp of olive oil.

In a medium bowl mix the glaze ingredients together. Squeeze the roasted garlic from the cloves and stir it into the glaze.

Place a non stick pan on medium high heat. Coat with remaining oil and add the Haloumi. Fry until golden on each side. Cut each slice into squares and toss in the glaze. Leave sitting in the sticky sauce until ready to assemble.

Stir the sour cherries and walnuts through the Cous Cous. Spread on a serving plate and top with roasted carrots, herbs and the glazed Haloumi. Stir together just before serving.

HH. x