I know it’s unusual to post a salad recipe at this time of year. Normally I’m sharing recipes for comfort dinners or cake but for some reason I’ve been eating a lot of fresh light meals lately. That’s not a bad thing, there has been plenty of indulgent food on my table too!

Some people absolutely hate Brussels sprouts. I get it. We are all so used to eating them boiled until they are bitter little balls of mush and that is not good. However, I’ve been eating them raw in salads for some time now and they are delicious. I also like them roasted, it transforms their flavour. So when you’re feeling a little full in the months to come, a dish like this Brussels Sprouts, Apple and Halloumi Salad might be the light relief you need!

 

 

Useful tips & links:

• The sprouts really need to be finely shredded here. To do this I use a very sharp small knife. If you can be trusted to use a mandolin (I can’t!) make sure you use protective gloves.
• I often top these types of salads with toasted nuts. I don’t here simply because there is enough crunch from the salad itself. If you want to some walnuts or pistachios would be delicious on top.
• Adding bacon to this salad would not be a bad thing, it never is. However this is a great salad for vegetarians. To make it vegan, leave off the cheese and use agave nectar in place of the honey.
• For me halloumi has to be eaten straight out of the pan, I don’t like it when it cools and gets that rubbery texture. If this is something you want to make for a lunchbox or to eat later I would replace the halloumi with a strong cheddar cheese.
• For extra colour, sweetness and to make it more festive, you could add dried cranberries to the salad.
• For an alternative take on this combination have a look at The Hungry Breton’s Smoked Halloumi and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
• Another Brussels Sprouts salad that I love is this Brussels Sprouts, Beetroot and Pomegranate Salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brussels Sprouts, Apple and Halloumi Salad

Serves 2

 

Ingredients:

• A small red onion, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey or apple syrup
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 200g of Brussels sprouts
• 1 apple
• 200g of halloumi cheese

 

 

Method:

• First make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, honey, lemon juice and mustard. Season with a little salt and pepper, take care not to over salt as the halloumi is very salty too. Taste the dressing and adjust as needed.
• Add the sliced onions to the dressing, mix well and set aside. The onions will soften in the dressing and lose their raw taste.
• Cut the apple into quarters, cut out the core and then slice thickly. You can leave the slices whole or cut them into smaller chunks.
• Add the apples to the onions and dressing and mix well. This will stop the apples from going brown while you make the rest of the salad.
• Heat a small non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Slice the halloumi into 1cm thick slices and then into smaller portions if you like.
• Fry the halloumi in the pan for a few minutes until golden brown on both sides.
• While the halloumi is frying, trim the sprouts and remove the tough outer layers. Very finely slice into rounds. Add the sliced sprouts to the apples and onions and mix well together. The slices of sprouts will break up into little shredded pieces.
• Pile the salad on to 2 plates, you can add some salad leaves if you like.
• Top with the halloumi hot from the pan and serve immediately.