Corn and Fregola with Grilled Halloumi Cheese

By LRay

Bon Appetit, July 2015, page 98.

If this were our party, we’d get all the grilling out of the way early in the day and toss this Mediterranean fantasy of a salad together in our caftans.

Ingredients

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup fregola or Israeli couscous
• Kosher salt
• 4 ears of corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• 1/4 cup mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (or more) white wine vinegar
• Halloumi cheese can be found at Greek markets, natural foods and specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

Cook fregola in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and spread out on a baking sheet to let cool.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rub corn with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool.

Meanwhile, brush cheese with 1 Tbsp. oil and grill, turning once, until lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter with corn; let cool.

Cut kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Add scallions, parsley, basil, mint, walnuts, and fregola. Using your hands, tear Halloumi into bite-size pieces; add to bowl and toss to combine. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining ¼ cup oil. Toss to coat; season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.