Mid December stirs up a lot of emotion for me, does it you? The juxtaposition of joy for the advent season and time with those I loved here and the longing for those who have gone before me, or what lays ahead can feel weighty, as can the high energy of parties, preparation and entertaining.
If you are in the thick of holiday hosting or entertaining, or planning to be, take it easy on yourself with this Grilled Haloumi with Honey, Pomegranate + Pistachios. It it the simplest, most delicious appetizer I snagged out of Alison Roman’s new cookbook “Nothing Fancy,” which I have been simply swooning over. The only difference is I sprinkled some pomegranate seeds and seared the cheese whole, as opposed to individual slices.
It’s divine. It’s festive. And oh-so-simple.
Happy Holidays! Peace be with you.
Buen provecho,
Amanda
- 8 oz haloumi cheese (queso fresco works)
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 3 Tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Heat a large nonstick grill pan (no oil) or grill to medium high. Sear "log" of cheese until crispy and golden, about 2-3 minutes, on each side. You could do individual slices too.
- Remove from heat, drizzle a little bit of honey, sprinkle and press the chopped pistachios, then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with the remainder of honey and top with sea salt. Serve with flatbreads, grilled bread or crackers.