su-Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
Photo: Maren Caruso; Styling: Nissa Quanstrom
Yields Serves 4 Total Time 30 mins
AuthorRecipe adapted from Philip Busacco
At the Fillmore Street location of Troya Mediterranean Kitchen in San Francisco, featuring Turkish-inspired food, chef Philip Busacco uses halloumi cheese as a canvas for this salad, swapping in other fruits, greens, and kinds of fruit molasses. If your grocery store doesn't carry dried mint in the spice aisle, open a bag of peppermint tea.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Make dressing: Stir ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 2
2

Make salad: Toss fennel and lemon juice in a small bowl. Put arugula and cherries in a large bowl; set aside.

Step 3
3

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add halloumi and oregano to dry pan; cook, turning once, until cheese browns (it will exude brine, then dry out), 4 to 6 minutes total. Remove from heat and discard oregano.

Step 4
4

Toss arugula and cherries with just enough dressing to coat, then toss with fennel. Divide among plates. Top salads with halloumi. Drizzle dressing over cheese.

Step 5
5

*Find at well-stocked supermarkets.

Ingredients

  DRESSING
 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried mint leaves
 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  SALAD
 1 small fennel bulb, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
 1 teaspoon lemon juice
 5 cups loosely packed baby arugula
 1/2 cup pitted tart dried cherries
 8 ounces halloumi cheese*, cut into 8 slices
 4 small sprigs oregano (4 in. each)

Directions

Step 1
1

Make dressing: Stir ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 2
2

Make salad: Toss fennel and lemon juice in a small bowl. Put arugula and cherries in a large bowl; set aside.

Step 3
3

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add halloumi and oregano to dry pan; cook, turning once, until cheese browns (it will exude brine, then dry out), 4 to 6 minutes total. Remove from heat and discard oregano.

Step 4
4

Toss arugula and cherries with just enough dressing to coat, then toss with fennel. Divide among plates. Top salads with halloumi. Drizzle dressing over cheese.

Step 5
5

*Find at well-stocked supermarkets.

Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Search All of Sunset's Recipes