Grilled Peaches And Halloumi

Summertime is my favorite time of year by far, and nothing beats fresh, ripe summer fruit that tastes of the hot sunshine and earth that grew it. This recipe for grilled peaches with halloumi cheese combines some of the best things in life – summer bounty and grillable cheese. YUM.

Growing up we grilled the standard hot dogs and hamburgers and served them up with ripe summer corn, sliced garden tomatoes, and watermelon for dessert. These days I love the classics (grass fed beef, of course), but I also like to experiment with new things on the grill.

Have you tried my Greek chicken burgers with tatziki yet? They'd grill up great with these skewers of peaches and halloumi.

I first discovered cookable cheese when I moved from Pennsylvania to Malibu and was working in a Greek restaurant that served a flaming cheese dish called Saganaki. MORE YUM.

Various traditional cultures have cheeses with a high melting point, and if you can't find halloumi (which is readily available at our local Whole Foods) you can substitute Queso Para Frier (“frying cheese”) from a Latin American grocery store. In a bind, you could simply grill the peaches, and serve with fresh feta cheese too.

Topped with fresh mint from our garden, good olive oil, a drizzle of raw honey and a squeeze of lemon – the salty, sweet flavors of the fruit and cheese just pop.

Dukkah is an Egyptian condiment that blends spices with seeds and nuts (here I use sesame and pistachios) but you could use whatever you have on hand. To be honest, the grilled peaches and halloumi are stand out without the dukkah, but the nuts and spices take it up an extra notch – perfect for a special BBQ – maybe this weekend?

Grilled peaches and halloumi ingredients

• 4 firm ripe peaches
• 1 block halloumi cheese
• 2 sprigs mint leaves, chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – this is the one I use
• 2 teaspoons raw honey – Read why local and raw really is better
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 tablespoons dukkah, optional – buy it online or make from recipe below

Grilled peaches and halloumi method

1. Wash and cut peaches into eighths, removing the pit, but keeping the skin on.
2. Slice the halloumi into 2 inch cubes.
3. Skewer alternative pieces of peach and halloumi.
4. On a medium-hot grill, cook the skewers on one side until the peaches have charred just slightly and the cheese has browned in places, then flip the skewer and cook until the other side is done (about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the heat of your grill).
5. Remove the skewers from the grill and place on a serving platter. Drizzle the with olive oil, raw honey, mint, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of optional dukkah. Serve immediately.

Dukkah spice blend ingredients

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, or nuts of your choice
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns – buy it online
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt – this is my favorite

Dukkah spice blend method

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, roast sesame seeds, coriander, and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes, taking care not to burn. Set aside.
2. Roast pistachios about 10 minutes over low heat, then transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Place the sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, and peppercorns in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add the pistachios and sea salt and pulse until a sand-like consistency is reached. Don't over blend or you will make a paste.
4. Store in an airtight glass jar until ready to use.

This recipe was inspired by My New Roots.