Halloumi and grape salad

I'm not sure where this salad comes from specifically.  I had assumed Malta as this was the first place I had seen and tasted it.  But since those early days I've come across versions of it when on holiday in Spain, Greece, Morocco and Turkey.

It's fresh, and I like the salty/sweet sensation you get and it's relatively quick and very good to eat as a starter or as a light lunch.

The first time I came across this brilliantly good dish, I must admit, I was a little worse for wear.  I think I was nineteen or twenty and it was one of my first trips travelling on my own.  I'd had a few too many wines the previous night and was staying in a family run b&b in the old town of Valletta.  I was more than a little dehydrated and had already consumed at least two litres of water in the hour I had been awake (it was noon and I was sitting in a little shaded courtyard feeling very sorry for myself).

MaMa took pity on me, and made me this little lunch and served it, with very cold, very small, very sweet, rose.  To this day, I am not sure whether it was the salty halloumi or the hair of the dog that actually did me the best service.  I like to think it was probably the a little of both.

For the dressing:

Five or six dessert spoons of good extra virgin olive oil
The juice of a large lemon
Four grams of chopped thyme and/or dill
A good pinch of freshly ground black pepper
A good pinch of fine sugar

For the salad:

150/200 grams of mixed leaves
200/250 grams of halloumi (cut in 1/2 cm slices)
75-100 grams grapes (halved)
Four grams of chopped thyme and/or dill

In a large bowl, place the dressing ingredients and whisk. 

In a large frying pan, fry the halloumi until brown on both sides and place on kitchen paper to cool slightly.

Back to the bowl, refresh the dressing by whisking lightly and take about a third out and reserve.  Add the leaves, grapes and remaining herbs and toss.  Divide and place on your serving dishes and place the halloumi on top.  Drizzle the remaining dressing over the cheese and serve.

Variations:

There are three additions to the above that I've experienced so far. 

In Greece and Turkey, thinly sliced red onion has been added to the dressing and "cooked" at room temperature until the Halloumi is ready.  The Halloumi is tossed with the salad and not lain on the top.

In Morocco, the salad has sliced onion (although rather large pieces) with the leaves and is tossed in the regular way.  In Agadir, they add chopped dried fruit in addition to the fresh grapes.

In Spain, I've had a similar salad, except with rather large watermelon pieces are used and not grapes, and the salad leaves are not prevalent, instead they seem to be there to add colour, so not really a variation and more of  a melon and halloumi salad instead.

I hope you enjoy it.