Warm Halloumi & Chicory with Pomegranate and Walnuts

This warm salad from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem combines the salty squeak of golden-fried halloumi with bitter chicory, crunchy walnuts, and jewel-like pomegranate seeds. The dressing — a Caspian-inspired walnut and pomegranate molasses combination common throughout Georgia and the broader Middle East — ties everything together with sweet-sour depth. It works brilliantly as a starter or a light main.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Ingredient	Amount
Halloumi, sliced into 1cm pieces	250g
Chicory (endive) heads	3
Olive oil	2 tbsp
Walnuts, roughly chopped	60g
Pomegranate seeds	80g
Garlic clove, crushed	1
Red wine vinegar	1 tbsp
Pomegranate molasses	1 1/2 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil	3 tbsp
Sugar	1/2 tsp
Salt and black pepper	to taste
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped	2 tbsp

Method

1. Make the dressing: combine the pomegranate seeds (reserve half for garnish), walnuts (reserve some for garnish), garlic, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, sugar, and seasoning. Mix well and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the halloumi slices for about 1 minute on each side until golden-brown. Transfer to a plate.
3. Cut the chicory into quarters lengthways. In the same pan, add the chicory with remaining sugar and seasoning. Toss for about 1 minute until lightly coloured but still with some crunch.
4. Arrange the chicory on a platter. Top with halloumi slices. Spoon the pomegranate-walnut dressing over the top.
5. Scatter with reserved pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and parsley. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

Serve immediately — halloumi is best eaten hot, while the cheese is still soft inside. Radicchio or treviso can substitute for chicory. For extra richness, add crumbled feta alongside the halloumi.

Dressing: Ottolenghi-Pomegranate-Molasses-Dressing Source: Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi / Jerusalem (2012)

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Ottolenghi-Pomegranate-Molasses-Dressing · Modern-Contemporary · Salad-Dressings