Directions

Wash the oranges under cool running water and pat dry. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the oranges. Then trim the peel away from the sides, trying to keep as much meat intact and keeping the round shape. It takes a bit of practice, but a YouTube video can be very helpful. Slice the peeled oranges into ‘wheels’, about .-inch thick. Set aside.

Wash and dry the cucumber. Cut off one end. Thinly, thinly cut the cuke into 15-20 slices. Set aside. Wrap and refrigerate any leftover cucumber. Wash and dry the radishes. Cut off the tops and bottoms and thinly, thinly slice them. Set aside.

Make a quick pickling bath: Add 2 tablespoons of mild white wine or white balsamic vinegar to a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of white, granulated sugar and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir to dissolve.

Peel the shallot and slice as thinly as possible into rings. Add to the pickling bath and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate. They will turn pink.

If not toasted, toast the almonds at 325 degrees, spread out on a sheet pan for 5-10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Slice the Halloumi into 8 slices of even thickness. Lay the slices on a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Use your finger and rub a bit of olive oil on top of each slice. To grill the slices: I used a stovetop grill pan. Heat up the pan to medium and lay the slices of cheese in the pan, carefully. DON’T touch them, let them grill for a couple of minutes. Carefully rub a bit more olive oil on top of each slice in the pan. When you can see that the slices will ‘release’ without sticking, carefully turn over each piece—use a fork, I think tongs will be too ‘clumsy’. And grill the turned-over slices until they release as well. I think this process should only take about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove cheese slices to a plate.

Build the salads:

Lay out 4 serving plates. Add the cleaned baby watercress or arugula to a bowl and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic dressing. Toss gently to combine, adding a small pinch of kosher salt as you toss. Divide the dressed greens among the four plates.

Layer the reserved sliced oranges, sliced cucumbers and sliced radishes on the 4 plates. Drizzle with some balsamic dressing (put some dressing in a bowl and drizzle with a spoon).

Strain the pickled shallots and pat dry on a paper towel. Add a few pickled shallots to each dish.

Sprinkle toasted almonds on each dish and finally lay a couple of pieces of grilled Halloumi on top of each salad. And give each plate a few twists of just-grated black pepper.

(Note: if the Halloumi has gotten too cold, just lay the slices out in a non-stick skillet and pop into a 325-degree oven for a couple of minutes to soften.)

Serve with extra balsamic dressing on the side and maybe a small loaf of crusty baguette!