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You listen to my friend Paul when he says there’s a recipe you should try. And these Halloumi Tacos are a gem that’s more than a recipe; it’s a recipe in a recipe in a recipe, like a Russian doll. As he said:
Leftover Pea Guacamole is really good on whole wheat toast for breakfast. No kidding. Leftover Honey Roasted Tomatoes are good as a polenta topping, or on pizza, or in an omelet, or in a salad.
All true. And you may be thinking, “Pea guacamole? I thought you said, fava.” Well, yes I did. We had favas on hand, so I swapped them in for the fresh English peas that Paul’s recipe called for. I think edamame would also work well. My point, use what you have on hand or what looks best at the market.
Other than a wonderful recipe source, Paul is also a talented artist. He painted one of my favorite pieces: Reach. It reminds me of this Robert Browning quote, another favorite:
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?
And speaking of heavenly things, let’s talk about these tacos.
Imagine guacamole amped up with tender bits of fresh fava beans and a pleasant garlic/jalapeño kick. Top that with a crispy leaf of butter lettuce, honey roasted tomatoes and crispy, panfried halloumi. Then wrap it all up in a warm tortilla. Do I have your interest?
If you haven’t had halloumi cheese before, you need to try it. I like how Paul describes it:
Halloumi is a Greek semi-hard brined sheep & goat cheese, improbably good for frying and grilling. (If you haven’t tried it, you’ve got to try grilled halloumi!)
How to Cook Fava Beans
And if you decide to go with fava beans instead of fresh peas, here is the process for preparing them:
You’ll need two pounds of fava pods to get enough fava beans for this recipe.
Strip the beans from their pods.
Drop the beans into boiling water for one minute, then drain. Now peel off that rubbery case.
Here’s what you’ll end up with (I know!). It’s a lot of work for a small amount of beans but, I promise, it’s worth it.
Don’t let any leftovers go to waste! Beyond Paul’s suggestions, I would add that the fava guacamole is a wonderful dip for chips (obviously) and the leftover tomatoes were wonderful the night after we made these tacos, tossed into hot pasta with fresh basil, a generous douse of olive oil and Parmesan cheese.
If you love tacos as much as we do, don’t miss these Shrimp Tacos, Pork Belly Tacos, Lamb Tacos, and Pork Carnitas Tacos.
Halloumi Tacos with Fava Guacamole & Honey Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
Honey Roasted Tomatoes
Fava Guacamole
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded & de-ribbed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 medium avocados chunked into 1 inch cubes
- 1 handful mint leaves no stems
- 1 1/2 cups fresh fava beans from 2 pounds of pods, beans stripped from pods, boiled for one minute and then peeled)
Halloumi
- 16 oz Halloumi
- 1 tbs high heat oil peanut or safflower
Tacos
- 4 flour tortillas
Instructions
- To make the honey roasted tomatoes: Preheat oven to 300°F Combine all ingredients in a non-stick oven pan. Toss. Roast for about 1 hour, tossing 2 or 3 times. Tomatoes should be slightly charred & about half-way dried.
- To make fava guacamole: Blend first 4 ingredients in a food processor until jalapeños are in small bits. Add remaining ingredients, including fava beans, to processor and pulse until blended but slightly chunky.
- To prepare halloumi: Cut Halloumi into bite size rectangles, about 1/2 fish-stick size, 1/4 X 1 X 2 inch approx. Coat a non-stick frying pan in the oil. Heat pan, medium high. Add halloumi & fry, turning so each side browns. About 1 or 2 minutes each side. Set aside on a paper towel.
To assemble tacos:
- Heat whole wheat or flour tortillas in a dry frying pan or over an open flame to slightly toast & warm.
- Place a lettuce leaf (any type of non-iceberg lettuce) on a tortilla.
- Put 2 or 3 tbs Pea Guacamole on top, followed by 2 or 3 halloumi slices. Add 4 or 5 roasted tomatoes. Fold over to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
That guacamole looks to die for! I’ll definitely be trying this soon!
Thank you!