Strawberry + Tomato Salad with Sizzled Mustard Seed Halloumi

This recipe is from Molly Baz's book, Cook This Book, (we are excited for her newest cookbook coming this October). With a massive chapter on Salads and Molly Baz's self-proclaimed love for Caesar salads, we had high expectations. The whole family loved it! We will definitely be making it again this summer. It was fresh, flavorful, and unique. Her recipe calls for peaches but we couldn't get our hands on them this early in the season in Maine so we substituted strawberries. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of ripe strawberries
• 1 pound ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 (8-ounce) piece halloumi cheese
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons yellow or brown mustard seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• Flaked sea salt for finishing

Instructions:

1. Toast the mustard seeds: In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook the seeds over medium heat, swirling the pan, until they begin to pop and become fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the oil into a large bowl, scraping any seeds and spices that stick to the saucepan into the bowl along with it; season the oil with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
2. Prep the salad, adding the ingredients to the bowl of mustard seeds: Cut strawberries into wedges. Cut 1 pound tomatoes in half through the root end, then cut them into irregular wedge-shaped pieces. Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both halves into the bowl with the strawberries and tomatoes. Season with kosher salt and gently toss everything with your hands. Add 1 cup basil leaves and toss to combine. Give the salad a taste and make ant necessary seasoning adjustments. (More salt? More lemon?) Let this sit while you carry on.
3. Sear the halloumi: Cut 1 (8-ounce) block of halloumi in half on a diagonal to create 2 triangular pieces. Cut the halloumi into 1/2 -in- thick triangular planks. Break the planks in half and let them dry on a bed of paper towels to wick away some of the surface moisture. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halloumi in a single layer and seat until deeply brown on both sides and soft and melty inside, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Serve: Arrange the halloumi on a serving platter. Add the strawberries and tomatoes and pour any remaining vinaigrette over everything. Season with flaky sea salt.

Recipe from Cook This Book by Molly Baz