Jono & Jules do food & wine

We plan every evening meal but tend to wing it during the day, using whatever happens to be lying around. Occasionally though we plan a weekend  breakfast or lunch and are generally very pleased with ourselves for doing so. No less so this weekend when we discovered this amazing toastie combination suggested by Sabrina Ghayour in her vegetarian book, Bazaar.

A Toastie Idea – serves 2

• 250g halloumi cheese, cut into 6 slices
• 4 slices of good bread
• 2 tsp rose harissa
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp quick-pickled onions (see below)
• 40g butter

Heat a splash of oil over a medium heat and fry the halloumi slices for a couple of minutes on each, until crusty and brown.

Meanwhile, very lightly toast the bread.

Remove the halloumi from the pan, and wipe it out with some kitchen paper.

Divide the halloumi slices between two slices of bread. Spread over the harissa, and drizzle over the honey. Lay the tomato slices on top and finish with a spoon of pickled onions and season well with pepper and a little bit of salt. Top with the remaining slices of bread and press down.

Put the frying pan back over a medium heat and add a quarter of the butter. When the butter has melted put one of the toasties into the pan and press it down by putting a small saucepan with a tin or two inside on top. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add another know of butter and cook on the other side. Remove from the heat and repeat with the other toastie.

FOR THE QUICK PICKLED ONIONS:

• 1 large red onion, halved and very finely sliced
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
• a generous sprinkling of Maldon sea salt flakes

Combine the ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. Close the lid and shake vigorously for a couple of minutes until the onions soften, then serve or keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Serve with almost anything but particularly good in a toastie.

(Original recipe from Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2019)