Fried Haloumi Cheese with Pear and Spiced Dates
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (just the only black seeds from within the green pod)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 dates, cut in half and pits removed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 pound haloumi cheese cut into 8 slices
- 1 pear, quartered, seeded and sliced into 8 pieces
- 3 tablespoons ouzo
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a small saute pan, big enough to hold the dates, mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, and brown sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the brown sugar melts.
- Add the spices and dates and cook until the dates soften a little, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and set the mixture aside,
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
- Arrange the cheese slice in the skillet, being careful not to overlap or crowd them.
- Brown the cheese, about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on each side.
- Transfer to a heavy gratin or baking dish, placing the haloumi slices side by side.
- Using the same saute pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and then add the pears.
- Brown the pears for 4 to 5 minutes on one side.
- Remove the pears from the pan and add them to the baking pan with the haloumi.
- Spoon a date onto each piece of haloumi and place the pan in the oven until it gets hot and the cheese gets a little softer.
- 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, place it on the table, and without waiting, add the ouzo to the pan and carefully ignite it.
- Stand back when you light the dish, as the flames can reach 5 inches.
- The fire will bum off the alcohol, and after about a minute, it will leave the sweet flavor of the ouzo.
lemon, brown sugar, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, black pepper, dates, olive oil, haloumi cheese, pear, ouzo
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/fried-haloumi-cheese-with-pear-and-spiced-dates (may not work)