Ingredients

  • 1 Block Dodoni Halloumi
  • 1 Hispi (Pointed) cabbage
  • 1 small bunch Spring greens
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 50g frozen peas defrosted/ fresh blanched and refreshed in cold water (50g shelled weight)
  • 1 lemon
  • Fresh mint, dill, flat leaf parsley, approx 2g of each
  • 2 artichoke hearts (in olive oil)
  • 4 green/black pitted Kalamata olives (optional)
  • Pistachio nuts, crushed (approx 2 teaspoons)
  • Aleppo chilli flakes (optional)
  • Mixed cooked grains to serve (I used quinoa, bulgar and lentils)
  • Chardonnay vinegar/white wine vinegar
  • Butchers twine
  • BBQ or griddle pan

Process

  1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
  2. Carefully remove the outer leaves from the Hispi cabbage (you should end up with about 4)
  3. Remove 4-6 spring greens from their stalks
  4. Blanch both in the water for 1 minute then plunge into ice cold water.
  5. Drain and dry flat on a clean tea towel.
  6. Pre heat the BBQ/griddle pan whilst you assemble the pea and spring green mix.
  7. Halve and remove the inner core of the garlic and discard, place in a pestle and mortar and crush to a paste. Add the peas and lightly crush.
  8. Roughly chop the spring greens and herbs and add to the peas, finely zest the lemon and add along with the olives. Cut the lemon in half and add the juice to the mix along with a glug of olive oil. Taste for seasoning add more lemon if needed. It should taste really fresh and set aside. (Remembering the Halloumi is a little salty!).
  9. Open the halloumi and pat dry with paper towel. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place on a hot BBQ/griddle pan. Char on either side and all four corners then set aside to cool. Turn the BBQ/griddle pan to low if you’re planning on eating the halloumi straight away or off if you’re prepping ahead.
  10. Remove the tough ‘ribs’ from the Cabbage leaves, Place over lapping on a work surface to form a large enough surface area to contain the block of halloumi.
  11. Spoon the pea and spring green mix in the centre forming a surface area no bigger than the halloumi.
  12. Thinly slice the artichokes and place these on top of the peas along with the olives followed by the block of Halloumi.
  13. Fold the lengths of cabbage over the halloumi followed by the sides to form a parcel without any gaps.
  14. Tie neatly using the butcher’s twine to form a parcel. Refrigerate until required. You could prepare this a day ahead.
  15. Increase the heat on the BBQ/griddle pan till around 200C/ hot!
  16. Drizzle the cabbage with a little olive oil and place on the hot BBQ/griddle. Cook on all sides until the cabbage is well charred all over.
  17. Whilst the cabbage is cooking, mix the grains with a few tablespoons of the oil from the marinated artichokes, add a dash of chardonnay vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with sea salt and pepper.
  18. Once the cabbage is charred on all sides, transfer to a chopping board, carefully remove the butcher’s twine and gently slice into 2/3/4 pieces.
  19. Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with pistachios and a pinch of chilli if desired. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges and serve immediately alongside the halloumi with the mixed grains.

    Variations:

  20. Pre char asparagus spears and mix with the peas and greens.
  21. Use chard leaves instead of Hispi.