Can I use a different fruit in this recipe?

You can! The recipe works well with any stone fruit - try peaches, nectarines, or plums. You could also use canned fruit - in this case, skip the pre-roasting and just cook the fruit with the halloumi. You could also use a chutney or relish (this fig and tamarind one is lovely) or a jam.

I can't find harissa paste - what can I use instead?

You could use any other chili sauce - sriracha is good, or use sweet chili sauce or sweet chili jam (leave out the honey in this case and just go for 2 tablespoons of sweet chili).

What can I serve with the baked whole halloumi?

I love this as a delicious appetizer - try piling the halloumi onto sourdough discard crackers , soft garlic two-ingredient flatbreads or no-knead chili cheese focaccia - it's like its own cheese board! You can also enjoy it as part of a mezze-style spread, along with creamy, super smooth hummus and a chopped rainbow salad , or use it in sandwiches or wraps.

Baked Whole Halloumi with Apricots and Honey

Name: Baked Whole Halloumi with Apricots and Honey
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 block of halloumi (approximately 225g/8oz); 6 apricots (or use 1 small can, drained); 1.5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon harissa paste; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 scallion (spring onion), sliced thinly lengthways and popped into a glass of water (this will make them curl up); 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

Description

This baked whole halloumi with apricots and honey is easy, uses 5 ingredients, and takes less than 20 minutes. It hits all the best sweet and salty flavor notes to make the perfect appetizer or light meal. It’s a bit of an all-in-one cheese board!

Ingredients

Scale

For the baked halloumi -

1 block of halloumi (approximately 225g/8oz)
6 apricots (or use 1 small can, drained)
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon harissa paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To serve -

1 scallion (spring onion), sliced thinly lengthways and popped into a glass of water (this will make them curl up)
1 tablespoon thyme leaves

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Instructions

Roast the apricots. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C fan). Slice your apricots in half, remove the stones, then cut them into thick slices. Arrange in a small oven dish, then drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat them. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes. PRO TIP: If your apricots are super ripe and soft, you can skip this pre-baking step. I just find that if the apricots are a little hard, they don’t cook down enough in the time it takes the halloumi to cook, so I like to give them a head start.
Prepare the halloumi. While the apricots are getting their head start, make diagonal cuts down your halloumi block, but don’t cut all the way through. Turn the block around and make cuts down the other side – this should mean you end up with criss-cross cuts along your halloumi. This helps the halloumi cook evenly and collapse in the oven, and makes it easier to cut into when serving.
Bake the halloumi. Remove the dish from the oven. Place the halloumi in the middle of the dish, then drizzle with another 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Massage the oil into the halloumi, making sure it gets into the little cuts you’ve made. Broil (grill) on high (approximately 250°C) for 8 minutes, until the halloumi looks charred and golden on top, and starts to collapse into the apricots.
Make the honey harissa sauce. While the halloumi is cooking, mix the harissa, honey, and lemon juice in a small bowl, then set aside.
Garnish and serve. Once the halloumi looks golden and charred and the apricots are soft, remove the dish from the oven. Drizzle the harissa, honey, and lemon sauce all over the halloumi and apricots. Finish by scattering over the thyme and curly scallions, then serve straight from the oven dish or divide between plates.

Notes

Switch out the apricots for another stone fruit – try using peaches, plums, or nectarines.

If you can’t find harissa, use sriracha or another chilli sauce. You can also switch out the honey and harissa for sweet chilli sauce or sweet chilli jam (use 2 tablespoons).

The halloumi is best served as it comes out of the oven – the longer halloumi sits, the harder it becomes.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 20
Category: snacks
Method: oven
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 100g
Calories: 523
Sugar: 36.8g
Sodium: 888.3mg
Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 15.1g
Unsaturated Fat: 9.4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 44.1g
Fiber: 6.6g
Protein: 20.4g
Cholesterol: 56.2mg