Queens Eats: Strawberry Salad with Haloumi

For those of you who follow my column (thank you, loyal readers), you might recall my unbridled enthusiasm in an earlier column for cheese.

Although I have my favorite varieties, I’m always happy to sample a new type of cheese or discover an old favorite unexpectedly. The latter was the case on a recent trip to Trader Joe’s in Forest Hills when I noticed haloumi beckoning to me from the cheese section of the store.

I had first tasted haloumi, a Cypriot cheese with the salty flavor of feta and the consistency of mozzarella, as a fried appetizer at Taverna Kyclades in Astoria years ago. In the past few years, I have become obsessed with a chicken wrap with haloumi at the Theater Café in Forest Hills.

The great thing about haloumi, besides its amazing taste, of course, is its versatility. It can be pan-fried without using oil or grilled until it develops a slightly golden hue. From there, it can be served in salads, wraps or sandwiches.

Feeling slightly lazy midweek, I decided to make haloumi the main attraction of my meal and simply pan fry for a few minutes, then serve atop mixed field greens. I added sliced strawberries and Trader Joe’s grilled lemon chicken to the mix and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The short recipe follows below. Feel free to experiment and devise your own masterpiece featuring haloumi as the star attraction.

Strawberry Salad with Haloumi

Ingredients
One bag mixed field greens
Half a carton of strawberries
1 cup grilled chicken (make your own or use prepared version)
2 to 3 slices haloumi

Directions
1. Place slices of haloumi in skillet. Fry for a few minutes, turning several times until cheese is browned.

2. Rinse and slice strawberries; cut chicken into small strips. Slice haloumi into small pieces.

3. Add all ingredients to greens.

4. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.