Vegetarian Christmas starter recipe for 4 people, takes only 30 mins; recipe has halloumi cheese, carrot, extra-virgin olive oil, saffron, lemon, blanched almond, coriander, vegetable oil, sourdough bread, garlic clove, spring onion and chicory.
Spring onion & halloumi bruschetta with carrot & saffron salsa
Course: Vegetarian Christmas starter
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
20 mins
Ingredients
- Coriander: small bunch coriander, chopped
- Vegetable Oil: 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Garlic Clove: 1 garlic clove, halved
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 50ml extra-virgin olive oil
- Spring Onion: 12 spring onions, trimmed
- Carrot: 4 carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
- Halloumi Cheese: 225g pack halloumi cheese
- Lemon: juice 1/2 lemon
- Saffron: pinch of saffron threads
- Blanched Almond: 100g whole blanched almond
- Sourdough Bread: 4 slices sourdough bread
- Chicory: 1 red chicory, leaves separated
Directions
- If you want to reduce the saltiness of the halloumi, soak it for two hours beforehand in cold water.
- Cut the halloumi evenly into 8 slices across the width of the cheese. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the carrots together with the olive oil, saffron, lemon juice and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 20 mins or until tender and golden. Leave to cool, then tip into a food processor with the almonds and coarsely blitz. Scrape the salsa out into a bowl and add the chopped coriander. Mix well and add more seasoning or lemon juice if needed.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan. Thoroughly pat dry the halloumi slices. When the pan is hot, carefully place in the pan and cook over a medium heat until golden brown, then turn over and cook until the other side is golden.
- While the cheese is cooking, toast the sourdough, then rub one side with garlic. Place a piece of toast on each of 4 plates and top with 2 slices of halloumi. Add the spring onions to the pan and cook for a couple of mins on each side until wilting and a little golden. Put 3 spring onions on each halloumi-topped sourdough slice, then generously spoon over the carrot & saffron salsa. Serve with chicory leaves.
