Inside the Spice House
Yes, the heat is here and it’s salad season! As much as we love salads in the Spice House, it is sometimes a challenge to make them interesting, they also take a bit of prep time, so if we can consider the time we spend preparing an interesting and healthy salad as part of the main dish, and not just as a side, we are happy! That’s why we call them supper salads!
For suppers in June, you want something light, refreshing, and hydrating to help beat the Mediterranean heat. Perfect for warm June evenings, supper salads in Cyprus include sun-ripened produce. Crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, local citrus, and the addition of traditional Cypriot cheeses will elevate simple ingredients into satisfying, cooling meals.
The Iconic Cypriot Village Salad (Horiatiki)
A quintessential summer staple making the most of juicy vine-ripened tomatoes, crisp cucumber, crunchy green bell peppers, red onion, and Kalamata olives.
- The Cypriot Twist: Traditionally topped with fresh or pickled caper leaves, a generous block of local feta or anari cheese, and dressed simply with high-quality extra virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, and dried oregano.
- For a filling and delicious supper salad in Cyprus, you can elevate traditional local ingredients into robust, main-course meals. Cypriot cuisine naturally shines in the evening with its balance of fresh herbs, earthy grains, along with your favourite protein straight off the grill.
Warm Grain & Legume Bowls
- Cypriot Grain & Lentil Main: Combine boiled brown lentils, hearty freekeh or bulgur, finely diced red onion, and heaps of fresh parsley and coriander. Toss with toasted pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, dried capers, and a handful of sweet sultanas or pomegranate seeds. Dress it generously in extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, then top with a dollop of cumin-infused Greek yogurt.
- Mediterranean Tuna & White Bean Mash-Up: Mix canned local white beans with a jar of premium tuna packed in olive oil. Toss in halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and plenty of red onion. Whisk a zesty dressing of lemon juice and a touch of red wine vinegar to cut through the richness.
Our favourite supper salad inside the Spice House is known locally as karpouzi me halloumi, a combination of sweet, juicy watermelon and salty halloumi cheese, it is the ultimate traditional summer staple. While locals often eat the halloumi raw right out of the fridge with crusty sourdough bread, pan-searing or grilling the halloumi cubes elevates the textures by creating a warm, crispy exterior and a soft, squeaky interior.
Watermelon and Halloumi Salad with Mint
This recipe serves 4 people as a refreshing appetizer or light supper salad.
Ingredients
- Seedless watermelon: 4 cups, cut into 3cm cubes and kept ice-cold
- 1 block Cypriot Halloumi (about 250g) cut into matching 3cm cubes
- Extra virgin olive oil: 1–2 tablespoons (plus extra for drizzling)
- Fresh mint leaves: 1 handful, torn or roughly chopped
- Freshly cracked black pepper: To taste
- Optional traditional additions: 10-15 cured black olives (the wrinkled ones) or Kalamata and a drizzle of grape/balsamic vinegar.
Instructions
- Prep the Cheese: Cut your halloumi block into even cubes. Pat each cube completely dry with a paper towel for a deep, golden crust.
- Chill the Watermelon cubes until needed. The sharp temperature contrast between the piping hot cheese and ice-cold fruit is a hallmark of this dish.
- Sear the Halloumi: Heat a non-stick skillet or a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan very lightly with olive oil. Add the halloumi cubes in a single layer, ensuring you do not crowd the pan. Fry for 1–2 minutes per side without moving them, until a beautiful golden-brown crust forms. Turn to brown the opposite sides, then remove to a plate.
- On a large serving platter, arrange the cold watermelon cubes and scatter the warm, pan-seared halloumi cubes evenly over them.
- Garnish & Serve: Toss the fresh torn mint leaves and black olives (if using) across the platter. Finish with a generous crack of black pepper and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm and squeaky.
Embrace the Mediterranean summer with these refreshing, healthy June recipes tailored to Cyprus. By utilizing local June produce like fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, purslane, even fresh black-eyed peas, you can create light, hydrating meals perfectly suited for hot days in the sunshine.
Spice&Easy Cyprus for health & wellness! We do the blending, so you don’t have to! www.spiceandeasycyprus.com