Ultimate Crispy Fried Peri-Peri Halloumi Gyros with Sweetcorn Salsa & Pickles (v)
This is a perfect recipe for enjoying in the sunshine. I love food that can be eaten wrapped in paper while sat outdoors. The amazing combination of flavours and textures in this recipe with its hint of spice and crunch, from the Peri-Peri crispy fried halloumi, vibrant citrus sweet flavours from the sweetcorn salsa, followed by a hit of acidity from the pink pickled relish, wrapped in a soft chewy flatbread, is satisfyingly filling and so moorish. This recipe ticks all the boxes when it comes to maximum flavour. It’s a perfect street food snack, finished off with a drizzle of hot yoghurt sauce that is so simply to make and utterly divine.
You can of course use shop bought flatbreads or tortilla wraps, but making them is so easy and worth the effort as the softer the bread, the better. If you can’t find soft chewy flatbreads, Naan bread works very well too.
I suggest you make more of the pickled relish, as it’ll last for months in the fridge and is a great addition to burgers or on an open sandwich.
This is truly a perfect summery outdoor recipe that can be rustled up in no time and enjoyed by all.
Happy cooking — N x
Serves: 4 | Prep: 25m | Cooking: 20m
Ingredients
250g Halloumi cheese, sliced into 8 slices
3 tbsp Peri-Peri sauce
1 red onion, cut into four wedges root attached
1 free range egg, lightly beaten
75g flour, for coating
125g panko breadcrumbs, for coating
Salt & pepper seasoning
75ml Rapeseed oil, for shallow frying
Flatbreads
200g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp olive oil for frying
100g natural yoghurt
Sweetcorn Salsa
1 fresh corn on the cob, kernels removed or a tin of sweetcorn drained
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 lime, juice only
1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced
Sprinkle of caster sugar
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Tickled Pink Pickle
1 red onion, halve moon thinly sliced
6 fresh radish, thinly sliced
1 courgette (using a potato peeler) ribbons, inner core removed
1 carrot, ribbons
200ml white/red wine or cider vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp fresh dill (optional)
6 black or pink peppercorns (optional)
1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
125ml ice cold water
Sterilised lidded jar
To Serve
Shredded romaine lettuce
1 tbsp Peri-Peri sauce
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Fresh coriander leaves
Method
Start by making the pickle. Put the prepared vegetables, peppercorns, mustard seeds, salt, sugar, dill and vinegar in to a sterilised lidded jar and cover with the ice- cold water. Seal the jar and shake to coat all the vegetables. Pop in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the flatbread dough by mixing the flour, salt, baking powder, yoghurt and water in a bowl. Bring together into a ball. Lightly dust thé work surface with flour and knead for a few minutes then wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven, Fan 180 C Gas Mark 4.
Add 3 tbsp of peri-peri sauce to a bowl and coat the Halloumi slices. Pop in the fridge whilst you make the salsa
On a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper add the cut tomatoes, fresh red chilli, oregano, garlic, caster sugar, and half the lime juice. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until softened. Remove and leave to cool.
Using a sharp knife, standing the corn upright, slice down the kernels removing them all from the cob. Char them in a dry frying pan until popped and coloured slightly. Leave to cool.
Next, brush the red onion wedges with some rapeseed oil and char the wedges face down on a grill pan or frying pan until soft and caramelised.
Once cool remove the onion peel and root removing the onion petals add to the sweetcorn bowl.
Add the tomato mixture, leftover lime juice, seasoning and fresh coriander to the sweetcorn and onion bowl stir to combine. Pop in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the gyros.
Set out three different bowls one for each egg, flour and breadcrumbs ready to (pane method) the Halloumi slices.
Dip the Halloumi pieces into the flour, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs to coat.
Repeat this process with all the remaining slices. Pop on to a plate until ready to fry.
Cut the flatbread dough into four equal pieces and roll them out on a lightly floured work surface, into a circle about 20cm width. Brush with a little olive oil and fry them on a griddle pan or in a frying pan for a few minutes on each side.
Keep them warm in the preheated oven.
Next add the oil to a frying pan and shallow fry the coated Halloumi slices until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
Have all the condiments ready to assemble the gyros. Mix the yoghurt with 1 tbsp of peri peri sauce. Drain a handful of pickle from the jar ready and shred some romaine lettuce.
Cut four squares of greaseproof paper to wrap the gyros.
To assemble lay a sheet of greaseproof paper in your hand and top with a flatbread, coat with a layer of peri-peri yoghurt sauce, lettuce, two slices of crispy Halloumi, sweetcorn salsa, pickles and a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves and a drizzle of yoghurt sauce.
Wrap the paper around the gyro into a cone shape, leaving the top open and folding the paper under at the end creating a little bag to encase the gyro.
You can always tie it with a piece of string if necessary to hold everything in place.
Delicious served with a cold beer or a glass of Rose.
Enjoy — N x
