Roasted Asparagus Salad with Fried Halloumi and Fresh Tomatoes

Serve this salad with your favorite cheese, such as halloumi, feta, or grated parmesan.
You can also omit the cheese for a vegan version of this salad!

Ingredients:

700g asparagus, woody ends removed
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cups grape tomatoes, halved
115g halloumi cheese
15 large basil leaves, torn

For the salad dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sumac, optional
Salt
Black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil and toss. Then spread in a single layer and bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes (until the asparagus is tender). Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
3. Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar with the olive oil, garlic and sumac (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cut the halloumi cheese into 1/2-inch squares. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the halloumi cheese in batches until nicely browned (1-2 minutes per side). Add the tomatoes and the fried halloumi cheese to the bowl with the salad dressing and toss. Then place the fried asparagus on a serving plate and top with the tomato and halloumi cheese mixture. Sprinkle with basil leaves. 

NOTE: You can substitute feta or parmesan for the halloumi cheese, but do not fry them or mix them with the salad dressing. Just crumble the feta or sprinkle the parmesan on top just before serving the salad.

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe: themediterraneandish.com