Guest blogbyArwen’s Thermo Pics
I’m super duper excited to share this blog post with you! Last year I met a gorgeous lady in Hobart while down there for some Quirky Cooking seminars. We share a love for good food, the Thermomix, and food photography. Oh, and halloumi cheese. Yep, halloumi is high on our list of favourite things.
So when Arwen recently decided to take herpassion for cooking and photography a step further,I hadthe brilliant idea of getting her to do a guest post on my blog to show us howto make halloumi! My kids are eating me out of house and halloumi – they’d go through a packet a day if I let them. I think it’s about time we started making our own.
So without further ado, allow me to introduce you toArwen Genge, ofArwen’s Thermo Pics,who has put together this photo blog for you! Thank you, Arwen, I can’t wait to make some halloumi!!
PS For those of you without a Thermomix, this can also be made on the stovetop – just search for halloumi recipes online for the method!
(Photo: Making dry ice sorbet fromIn the Mix!)
Hi! I’mArwen,a foodie Thermomix consultant based in Hobart, Tasmania. I love inspiring people to try new recipes, plus I’m obsessed with food styling, photography andInstagram🙂
Have you ever tried making your own halloumi cheese? I am passionate about making things from scratch and have had this on my to do list for about 4 years!! Every time I thought about it I wouldn’t have all the ingredients, but thank goodness all the stars aligned this time and I made this recipe twice in one week. It will definitely be a regular recipe in our house from now on!
I just love grilled halloumi. Its’ salty, squeaky fresh texture just makes me smile and my taste buds dance.
Halloumi with poached eggs, tomatoes, spinach and chorizo
A friend, Suzanne, who used to be a Thermomix consultant, posted this recipe about 4 years ago and I always meant to give it a try. It has been recommended by my customers too. Here is the link toSuzanne’s halloumi recipe on the Thermomix recipe community, and below you can see how to make it, step by step.
You need to start with2 litres of milk(preferably non-hom*ogenised),somerennet or a junket tablet (1ml of liquid rennet to 2L of milk), andsalt (No less than 20g as it needs to be quite salty to act as a preserving agent!). You will also need something to strain it with – either a nut milk bag, some cheese cloth, a clean tea-towel or calico.[Note: you can get rennet fromCheeselinksor junket tablets from grocery stores, you can also find fine sea salt for this recipe on Jo’s online storehere!]
First heat the milk for 10 mins/37 degrees/speed 1.
Mix the rennet with 1 Tbsp of water (filtered orunchlorinatedis better),
or 1 crumbled junket tablet and add to milk.
Stir for1 min/speed 1.
Pour milk into ThermoServer and let it sit for1 hour.
Cut the curds into 2 cm strips both ways and at a 45 degree angle.
Let the curds sit for another10 minutes.
Transfer the curds and whey from the ThermoServer back into the TM bowl.
Reheat for30 mins/37 degrees/soft speed.
Line the rice basket with the cheesecloth.
Pour the curds and whey into the rice basket over a ThermoServer.
You will need to keep the whey for later.
Cover the curds with cheesecloth and place a heavy weight on top.
You will need to sit the rice basket somewhere while the whey is
being pressed out so the whey can drain away.
Leave for30 minutes, then turn out of the rice basket.
Cut the curds into pieces.
Pour the whey back into the TM and heat for5mins/90 degrees/speed 1.
Put the rice basket in the TM bowl and put the pieces of halloumi back into the rice basket.
Cookfor30 mins/90 degrees/soft speed. The halloumi will rise to the top when it is done.
Brine
Pour off all but 250g of the whey.
Add 250g of boiling water and 50gsaltand cook for5 minutes/100 degrees/speed 1.
The brine is quite salty, as it’s a preserving agent.
If you prefer, you can cut back on the amount of salt –I wouldn’t go lower than about 20g, however.
Let it cool, then put cooked halloumi into a container and cover with brine.
Keeps for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator
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Thanks so much to Suzanne for letting us share her amazing recipe!
Now what is your favourite way to serve grilled halloumi?With some fresh chilli and drizzled with olive oil for an afternoon snack? Or Sunday brunch with Thermomix steamed homegrown silverbeet, poached eggs and grilled chorizo? In a salad with smoked salmon avocado and fresh homegrown tomatoes?
The list is endless, it doesn’t matter how you like to eat your halloumi, I hope you are inspired to try making your own in your Thermomix – it is so much fun and so delicious too!
