This herby barley couscous with chipotle halloumi and grilled apricots it’s just a dream dish, it’s an absolute beauty and the exact type of food that I would eat again and again. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, any day, any season. Peaches and apricots are one of my top favourite fruits to throw on a grill as an addition in almost any savoury salad. I do like strawberries, mango or pineapple too.
All that flavours and aromas they bring to any dish is exceptionally good. Despite these stone fruits no longer being in season apricots are still easy to find, at least for a while. I have replaced them many times in the past, especially around Christmas time with grilled oranges, grapefruit or even pineapple.
A barley couscous salad with chipotle halloumi and any grilled fruits would make a beautiful Christmas dish too, don’t you agree? Absolutely Fabulous!
Be very generous with the herbs as they are the power and the flavour engine for this dish. Choose your favourite herbs and make it your own.
Turning to eating healthier doesn’t mean that food has to be bland or tasteless, on the contrary, but the food is less processed offering more nourishment, it’s a lot more vibrant and it also means that it gets prepared much, much quicker.
I’m not saying traditional food isn’t good, it is, but it tends to get cooked for much longer and loses the colour as well as nutrients and quality.
And, if you like halloumi cheese and would like more recipes with this magnificent cheese, here are some other recipes that may be of interest to you, like this beautiful orzo and halloumi cheese salad, or this tantalising and very exotic salad that’s sweet and savoury or something that is more unusual like these halloumi burgers. How do those sound to you? I do hope you will enjoy, here were just three examples but do tap in the search bar halloumi and you will find quite a few other options there, I did not realise what a halloumi cheese lover I am.
I am not quite sure if you do feel this way but I do, I do , I do love deli sections of the stores or any deli type of eating place, I am lucky enough to have one near work and sneak a lunch from there every now and again. So this deli type of salads are my thing any time.
You could do many things to this salad to make it your own but one thing I suggest since I have tried it myself and absolutely loved it, it is to add some boiled chickpeas spiced up and cooked for a few minutes over medium heat into a pan with a drizzle of coconut oil, some chilli flakes or cayenne pepper and some sea salt drizzled generously with lemon juice. Mix into this and enjoy! Delicious.
Herby barley couscous with chipotle halloumi and grilled apricots
Ingredients
- 220 g halloumi cheese sliced
- 210 ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 190 g barley couscous
- 180 g tenderstem broccoli
- 6 apricots halved and grilled
- 5 leaves fresh mint bruised and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chipotle paste
- 1 small bunch mixed fresh herbs*
- 60 g pecan nuts toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 handful pomegranate seeds
For the dressing:
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp chipotle paste
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 5 mint leaves brushed and super finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the dry couscous into a slightly larger bowl and pour over the boiling stock. Cover with a plate or clingfilm and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
- Slice and brush the halloumi cheese with a coat of chipotle paste and set aside for a few minutes.
- While the couscous it’s getting infused, and the halloumi a little confused
- , grill the apricots and the broccoli on a griddle pan for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side then remove and put on a plate aside.
- Grill the halloumi cheese too for 2 minutes on each side and set aside once finished.
- Toast the pecan nuts in a pan for literally 2 min tossing almost constantly and make sure you’re not abandoning that pan till you take them off that pan. Warning
- : They burn fast! After toasting, take them out from that pan and place them on a chopping board ready for a rough chopping once they are cool enough to handle which should be 1 min or so.
- In a jar, place all dressing ingredients and give those a good old shake. Shake it, shake it, and shake a little bit more until you think enough is enough.
- Get the couscous fluffed up with a fork, season and add half of the dressing, the washed and finely chopped herbs including the mint leaving a pinch of two aside for sprinkling at the end, add the chopped nuts and most of the pomegranate seeds. Give it all a nice mix.
- Serve the barley couscous mixture onto the serving plates and top with the grilled apricots, halloumi and the broccoli.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing sprinkle some more pomegranate seeds and few more chopped herbs and serve.
Notes
Lathiya says
The dish should appeal your eyes first before you eat which this one did perfectly. I loved the simple ingredients that made this great dish.
Ramona says
Thank you Lathiya! I’m so glad this appeals to you ?, pretty colourful, right? Enjoy!
Jacqueline Debono says
This is such a fabulous recipe. I love grilled halloumi and pairing it with the fruit, spice and couscous looks and sounds so delicious and exotic!
Ramona says
Thank you dear Jacqui, oh, same here- we love grilled halloumi and paired with fruit spice and couscous it is heaven. You must try this recipe I’m sure you will absolutely love it! ?
April says
Ah, so herby so good! I haven't ever tried it with grilled apricots though so really looking forward to this experience!
Ramona says
I’m so sure you will love it dear April, it is absolutely divine. Thank you so much for stopping by.
Mirlene says
I can see so many delicious ways to use this couscous in the coming weeks - definitely a great find for me, thank you!
Ramona says
Oh absolutely Mirlene, enjoy it lovely and let me know how you’ve found it ??
Seema says
That platter is one that is sure going to be on my next potluck list. That is pure deliciousness. Love the colour on the Haloumi...
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Seema. It really is a platter to take to a potluck. Super delicious and so good looking indeed. Thank you so much for your feedback, it is really apreciated!
Nicole says
We have a few lamb chops leftover from yesterday so I'm trying your suggestion for this tonight!
Ramona says
Thank you Nicole, that sounds like a perfect choice - yumm. I love lamb and chops are THE BEST! Mmmmmmmmm. Enjoy!!
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
This barley couscous salad with chipotle halloumi and any grilled fruits sounds perfect. You say for a Christmas meal, I say for summer refreshing meal!
Ramona says
Hi Jeannette,
I say all year round using any fruit that seasonal - a winner every time 😉 I hope you will enjoy the recipe my dear 😉
Jenni LeBaron says
I love how hearty this is for a vegetarian dish. The halloumi is the perfect thing to pair with the herby couscous and I love love love grilled apricots. Can't wait to take a bite out of this!
Ramona says
Thank you dear Jenni, I am positive you will love this dish, we do too! 😉
Colleen says
We have an apricot tree just ripening, so I couldn't have found this recipe at a better time. Thank you!
Ramona says
Thank you dear Colleen, enjoy it! 😉
Mikayla says
Mmm I love, love, love grilled halloumi, and this dish makes me so happy! The apricot and cous cous are just perfect with the cheese!
Ramona says
Thank you Mikayla. Absolutely perfect, you are so right!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
Hahah. That is definitely my #1 concern about eating healthier. This definitely does not look bland or tasteless !!
Ramona says
Hi Cathleen,
Eating healthy is really important, even more when kids are around so that they develop good habbits.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
dee says
What a beautiful dish! Love that you added Halluomi cheese and combined sweet and spicy, so unique!
Ramona says
Thank you Dee, it works really well 😉 I hope you will be giving it a try super soon.
Erika says
This is a beautiful dish, and all the flavors looks so good together.
Ramona says
Thank you so much Erika!
Stine Mari says
Hat's off for you and this glorious recipe! I read the title and I knew INSTANTLY that this is the recipe for me. I adore halloumi, apricots, herbs, chipotle. And that honey in the dressing sounds divine as well. Literally everything about this dish screams my name. Saving for later!!
Ramona says
Thank you so much for your kind comment and appreciation, I am super happy you like the recipe, I am sure you will give it a go super soon. 😉
Brian Jones says
I've never seen Barley couscous anywhere, does it taste different to the usual durum wheat couscous?
Ramona says
Hi Brian, thanks for stopping by. Yes it does taste slightly different, it has a subtle nutty flavour but also the texture differs slightly, it is more starchy. It is really nice, look out for it, it’s only been around for a few years and I believe there aren’t many brands out there that make it. Worth checking though.