Harissa Marinated Asparagus with Halloumi

 

 

This is another very easy, tasty recipe from Sabrina Ghayour’s Persiana. I think even non-asparagus fans will like this. The recipe is just for the asparagus but I added halloumi which is lovely with it. I have served it as a starter, then as a side dish for steak or Sabrina suggests that you could also served it cold as part of a salad, without the cheese. You can use bought harissa paste or use this recipe.

 

Serves 2-3 as a light meal or side

 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp.  Olive Oil
• 2 tsp  harissa
• 2 tbsp. honey
• The grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
• A generous pinch of salt
• 200g asparagus spears, woody ends removed
• 150g halloumi, sliced approx. 5mm thick

 

Method:

• Put the olive oil, harissa, honey, lemon juice and rind and salt in a bowl and mix really well until the honey has completely dissolved.
• Place the prepared asparagus into a shallow dish and pour over the marinade. Mix well to make sure each spear is well coated. Cover the dish and allow it to marinate for between 30 minutes and an hour.
• Preheat a large heavy based frying pan or griddle pan over a medium high heat and fry for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time.
• When you put the asparagus in the pan, add the halloumi slices to the remaining marinade and coat the chesse completely. When you turn the asparagus, add the halloumi to the pan. It should take only a couple of minutes a side, depending on the thickness of your cheese. You want the cheese to turn a nice golden brown.
• Serve immediately.