Golden halloumi bowl with summer vegetables and risoni

Ingredients

• 1½ cups risoni pasta

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 6 baby cucumbers, roughly chopped

• 1 handful of green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 4 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 handful of dill, roughly chopped

• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

• ¾ cup pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds, toasted

• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

• 200g halloumi, cut into cubes or thick strips

• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

LEMON AND MAPLE SYRUP DRESSING

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

• good squeeze of lemon juice

Method

1. Step 1

   Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the risoni and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, then toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Step 2

   In a large serving bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green beans, spring onions, mint, dill, olives, seeds, and the cooled risoni. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Step 3

   Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the halloumi for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Drizzle with maple syrup and continue cooking until the syrup caramelises and coats the halloumi. Remove from the heat.

4. Step 4

   To make the lemon and maple dressing, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and lemon juice together in a small bowl until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Step 5

   Pour half of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Arrange the caramelised halloumi on top, then drizzle with the remaining dressing.