River Cottage

Israeli Couscous with Halloumi and fresh mint

I created this dish on my last trip to the beach with friends. It is a refreshing dish and is perfect on a summers day. Although this meal is served hot it has the feel of a salad as some of the ingredients are not cooked. The herbs and vegetables in this dish are not cooked and should retain their freshness. To maintain the freshness of this dish, it must be made and served quickly. I am not one for measuring, which is perfect for this dish, you could put many different raw vegetables in this dish, although with this dish I think 'less is best'. NB: Another name for Israeli couscous is Ptitim and although it is a wheat based pasta it is similar to the Italian rice called orzo. Israeli couscous must be used in this recipe, it is very dissimilar to the regular couscous, you may find it in a health food store, deli, Greek or Italian grocers.