Grilled Halloumi & Chickpea Power Salad

Ingredients

• 250 g halloumi, sliced into 1cm rounds
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 100 g mixed salad leaves
• 1 large roasted red pepper, sliced
• 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 0.5 cucumber, diced
• 0.5 red onion, thinly sliced
• 30 g pumpkin seeds
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and black pepper
• Crusty ciabatta, to serve
• Fresh basil, to serve

Method

1. Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and smoked paprika together in a small bowl. Season well with salt and black pepper, taste, and adjust — the dressing should taste sharp and savoury before it ever touches a leaf. Set aside.
2. Make sure the chickpeas are properly dry — pat them between two tea towels until they squeak. Wet chickpeas steam in the pan; dry chickpeas crisp. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
3. Heat a dry frying pan over medium-high heat and tip in the chickpeas in a single layer — don't crowd them, or they'll sweat instead of crisp. Cook for about 5 minutes, tossing often, until they're golden, blistered, and rattling in the pan. As they crisp, the smoked paprika will bloom in the residual oil and turn fragrant — that's the spice waking up. Season with salt and tip onto a plate.
4. Wipe the pan out and return it to high heat with no oil — halloumi brings its own. Lay the slices in, leaving space between each, and grill undisturbed for 2 minutes per side until deeply golden and caramelised. If you fidget with them, you'll lift the crust off; leave them alone and let the pan do the work.
5. Arrange the salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and roasted red pepper across two plates or a large platter. Season the vegetables with a small pinch of salt — leaves and tomatoes need it as much as anything else.
6. Top with the crispy chickpeas and the grilled halloumi while the cheese is still warm and squeaky.
7. Drizzle the reserved dressing generously over the lot, scatter the pumpkin seeds across the top, and finish with a final squeeze of lemon if you have one — the halloumi is rich and salty, and a bright hit cuts straight through. Taste a forkful; adjust with another pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar if it needs lifting. Serve immediately, while the halloumi still has its squeak.