Australia Day is just around the corner and we are counting down the days until we celebrate with friends under the sunshine (hopefully), barbecuing, watching the kids play and sipping on something cool and refreshing.
For a super relaxed back yard lunch we’ll be creating this unbelievably gorgeous bbq squid and halloumi salad.
The base of the salad is a vibrant mix of fluffy couscous, fresh herbs, gorgeously golden (almost charred) roast pumpkin and red onion all married together thanks to a zesty honey and dijon dressing. The couscous base really is a salad unto itself but to celebrate this glorious and bloody hot country of ours let’s ‘guild the lilly’ a little and top it off with a mountain of barbecued lemon, garlic and parsley marinated squid and a good helping of perfectly charred salty haloumi cheese.
Although the perfectly charred squid, drizzled in a little fresh lemon juice is the star of this salad, for me the beautifully sweet roast pumpkin against the salty sharp deliciousness of the haloumi is unbelievably good too.
I really can’t wait to share this salad with our friends. Happy Australia Day!
To create your own little slice of Australia Day perfection simply…
Begin by preheating your oven to 200 degrees celsius (390 F) and line an oven tray with baking paper. Place chopped pumpkin, red onion and garlic onto the prepared tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked.
Whilst the pumpkin is baking away to gorgeous goldenness get on with preparing your couscous.
Place the couscous into a large bowl, season with sea salt and pepper, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and add boiling water. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes or so, just until the couscous has absorbed the water. Use a fork to fluff the couscous. Set aside.
To make the dressing, place the dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Place the prepared squid onto a large plate along with the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and parsley and toss to combine.
Heat a bbq or char grill to high heat. Add the prepared squid and cook for 1-2 minutes (each side) or until golden and cooked through. The squid is cooked once the flesh turns from a translucent glassy white to an opaque milky white.
Place the gorgeously charred squid onto a large plate and set aside.
Next, place the haloumi onto the bbq (or char grill) and cook for 2-3 minutes (each side) or until golden and amazingly charred.
Place onto a plate and set aside.
Time to assemble: place the couscous, roasted pumpkin and onion, fresh herbs and dressing into a large bowl and toss gently to combine.
Grab a large serving platter and cover the base with the pumpkin spiked couscous mixture.
Top with the grilled halloumi and squid, sprinkle over a handful of chopped parsley and nestle a few wedges of lemon into the salad to serve.
the ultimate australia day bbq salad
- Total Time: 40 mins
Description
serves 4
Ingredients
- roast pumpkin:
- 500 grams japanese pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1.5 centimetre pieces
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and pepper, to season
- couscous:
- 1 1/2 cups (270 grams) couscous
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper, to season
- 2 1/4 cups ( 560 ml) boiling water
- dressing:
- 1 tablespoon honey (remember: honey is not suitable for bubs under the age of one – use sugar instead)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper, to season
- bbq squid:
- 5 large squid tubes, cleaned, scored and cut into 3 centimetre pieces
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 grams halloumi, cut into 1 centimetre thick pieces
- 1 cup mixed herbs, chopped (we used basil, parsley and mint – YUM), plus extra to serve
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (390 F) and line an oven tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin, red onion and garlic onto the prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked. Set aside.
- Place the couscous into a large bowl, season with sea salt and pepper, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and add boiling water. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes or so, just until the couscous has absorbed the water. Use a fork to fluff the couscous. Set aside.
- To make the dressing, place the honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Place the prepared squid onto a large plate along with the garlic, lemon zest, parsley and olive oil and toss to combine. Heat a bbq or char grill to high heat. Add the prepared squid and cook for 1-2 minutes (each side) or until golden and cooked through. The squid is cooked once the flesh turns from a translucent glassy white to an opaque milky white. Pop onto a plate and set aside.
- Whilst the grill is still hot add the halloumi and cook for 2-3 minutes (each side) or until golden and amazingly charred. Pop onto a plate and set aside.
- Assemble: place the couscous, roasted pumpkin and onion, fresh herbs and dressing into a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Grab a large serving platter and cover the base with the pumpkin spiked couscous mixture. Top with the grilled halloumi and squid, sprinkle over a handful of chopped parsley and nestle a few wedges of lemon into the salad to serve.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
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