A Lunch at the Beach

19 July 2013

Pea, Mint and Broad Bean Salad with Crisp Prosciutto and Grilled Haloumi

Lunch at the Beach

Photograph Georgia Moxham

theSTENmark is a keen cook and loves to entertain and for this flavoursome salad, acknowledges the influence of star chef Neil Perry.

Serves four as a first course

Ingredients

1½ cups broad beans
1 cup baby peas
½ bunch mint
6 sprigs lemon thyme
6 slices prosciutto
200 grams haloumi cheese
olive oil
juice and zest of one lemon
12 of the smallest baby cos (romaine) leaves to serve

To cook

Cook broad beans in boiling salted water until just tender – 5-6 minutes – drain, refresh under cold running water and de-pod beans
Cook baby peas in boiling salted water until under done – less than 2 minutes – drain and refresh under cold running water
When cool, combine beans and peas, drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, stir lightly to combine and set aside
Add approximately 20 mint leaves to the pea/bean mix, some torn and some left whole
Add lemon thyme to pea/bean mix
Add lemon zest and the juice of ½ the lemon
Cook prosciutto in a hot, dry frypan until crisp and well-coloured, breaking into varying sized pieces when cool
Grill slices of haloumi in the same hot pan (don’t clean it) for 2 minutes, turning once. Watch carefully so as not to overcook.

To assemble

Arrange 3 small cos leaves on each plate
Spoon over the pea/bean mix
Drizzle with a little olive oil and squeeze with juice of ½ the lemon among the four plates
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Add more mint leaves if desired
Scatter crisp prosciutto over
Place 3 slices of haloumi on each plate and serve with a wedge of lemon

This salad pairs well with a glass of Chardonnay or a Chablis with some mineral characteristics.