When I started the new recipe every week for a year project, I had a goal in mind. I wanted to try out new techniques and new ingredients as I went along. Well, this week I didn’t learn a new technique. I was under the weather a bit, and just wanted something a little soothing and easy. Hence basically a roasted veggie dish. I roast vegetables all the time. I love how they taste, and roasting is something I’m quite good at.
I did, however, try out a new ingredient. Halloumi cheese. One thing to keep in mind when trying out this recipe, take it seriously when it says not to salt the veggies. Halloumi, like the Feta offered as an alternative, is very salty. I honestly didn’t want any more salt than was already in the cheese.
Where did I find this one? From the ever fabulous Nigella Lawson in her book Nigella Bites
So let’s get to the heart of the matter: the recipe.
Double Potato and Halloumi Bake
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1 large firm/red potato
1 red onion
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1/2 head of garlic
4Tblsp olive oil
black pepper
4 1/2 oz halloumi cheese, sliced as thinly as you can
ovenproof 2-qt casserole
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cut the sweet potato into rough 1 1/2″ cubes and the red potatoes slightly smaller (1″ cubes) as the sweet potato will cook more quickly. Halve the red onion, then cut each half into 4 – 6 segments, discarding any tough outer skin. Seed the peppers and cut into 1″ squares, and separate the cloves of garlic (Twistie sez: Nigella didn’t say to, but I peeled the sweet potato and garlic, so as not to have to deal with those skins in the finished dish, and everything turned out great. IOW, if there’s something you’d like to peel, go ahead and peel it.). Put everything into a casserole or whatever you want to use (Nigella sez: it should be big, otherwise use two dishes) and, using your hands, give the vegetables a good coating of olive oil. Season with black pepper, but no salt as the cheese will make it salty (Nigella sez: and anyway, the salt will make water leach out). Cook for 45 minutes, by which time the vegetables should be cooked through and here and there tinged with brown. You’ll need to turn the oven up to maximum or light the broiler for the endgame, so place the thinly sliced cheese on top of the bake, and put it back in the very hot oven or under the broiler until the cheese has melted and turned slightly brown on top, about 5 – 10 minutes. Serve straight out of the roasting pan.
Serves 2 – 3.
I had this one with just a simple lamb chop while Mr. Twistie was off working late (he can’t stand either sweet potato or lamb, but I adore them both), and it was beyond delicious. Just smelling it cook made me smile. Then when it came out of the oven all toasty and caramelized with not-quite-melty cheese on top, it made me happy all over again. It tasted even better than it looked and smelled, too.
Trust me, this is ridiculously simple to do and insanely delicious to eat. Extend the recipe and serve it to company. They’ll think you worked a lot harder than you did, even if you don’t soften them up with one of Plummy’s cocktails first!
OH, Twistie, I love these recipes! But I am living in Germany for six months and HAVE NO OVEN. Can I request the next recipe be a little something that can be made in a simple kitchen without any baking or blender or 43-part crepe pan, please? A little sympathy here…
Comment by JB — February 20, 2010 @ 2:30 pm
Never let it be said that I don’t love my readers and take their needs into account. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s recipe. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Comment by Twistie — February 20, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
ooooooo SO good, these are something I eat all the time and remind me of my childhood. Must make some tomorrow for dinner
Comment by baked potato — February 27, 2010 @ 5:03 am
All your recipes look delicious and I’m definitely going to try some.
Comment by MissCinnamon — March 27, 2010 @ 11:11 pm