BROCCOLI WITH HALLOUMI AND HAZELNUTS

I never ate vegetables when I was a kid, so it surprises almost everyone that knew me then that I love them now, in particular broccoli, and even more in particular, roasted broccoli.

I love broccoli now, and will eat it almost anyway it is served, but roasting it is by far my favorite way to eat it. The charred bits that sweeten up, but not too much, and the smell that wafts through the house while it’s in the oven get me every time.

I will eat roasted broccoli with just a bit of salt and pepper, and it’s always delicious, but sometimes, you just want more. And those times, I experiment, and often end up with recipes like this one, which is a simple way to elevate my favorite veggie even more.

Halloumi, if you’ve never had it, is a salty cheese that you can grill. Yes, it’s grilling cheese (as opposed to grilled cheese, which is totally different, but just as good.) You just cube it, put it in a hot pan, and in a few minutes, it browns up, doesn’t stick, and is so good it rarely makes it into whatever I’m making it for because I eat it straight out of the pan. Don’t do that in this case. Or do — just make sure you save enough for your broccoli, because it’s just that good.

In addition to the halloumi, I wanted something for crunch, so the hazelnuts were added. A bit of a change from the usual almonds or pecans, hazelnuts have a distinct flavor that works perfectly here. Feel free to swap though if you want; I’m sure it will be equally delicious.