Everything You Need To Know Before Eating Halloumi Cheese
Halloumi Cheese is a traditionally made kind of cheese but not many know how it is produced or used. If you're one of those people, you're in the right place because in this sort brief we explore what it is, how it is produced and what it can be used for.
Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese that is created traditionally from goat's and sheep's milk, or sometimes a mixture of both.
Cow's milk can also sometimes be used. People use it mostly as a grilling cheese because of how well it maintains its shape when heated and grills well.
Important details about Halloumi
Halloumi cheese is traditionally made with goat's and/or sheep's milk on the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Halloumi is a white, layered cheese that looks like mozzarella. It is not completely hard and is an unripened brined cheese with a slightly spongy texture.
It has no rind and its flavor is tangy and salty. The milk may be pasteurized or unpasteurized.
Halloumi can be consumed raw however because it has a high melting point and it's able to maintain its shape, it's great for grilling or frying.
Eaten raw, halloumi tastes plain and a bit rubbery with some salty tangs. However if it is crisped in a pan or on the grill, it transforms into a beautifully crispy delight that can be savory on the outside and melted on the inside.
How it is made
Milk is heated, and rennet or vegetarian rennet is added to coagulate it. After the curds appear, they are cut and the whey is drained.
After draining, the curds are given some time to get firm and are then pressed into molds. When that's done, the cheese is heated in water or whey, which is why Halloumi resists melting.
After that step, the cheese is salted and can be consumed fresh within three to five days. If not, it can be preserved in brine and aged for several months, which gives it that salty flavor.
Note that no acid or acid-producing bacteria are used in the making of Halloumi.
Uses of Halloumi
You can grill, pan-fry or have it thinly sliced. It can be layered in salads or used as a substitute for mozzarella in a caprese salad.
You can substitute grilled slices of Halloumi for bread in sandwiches because it is gluten-free. It can also be served with watermelon.
Halloumi can be consumed raw, but it is best served warm, grilled, or otherwise heated. After it is cooked, saltiness gives way to a savory bite and a slightly creamy texture.
