If you have read any of my previous post’s you will know that I made a batch of wild garlic pesto (recipe). Paulie and I have been finding ways to incorporate into our meals such as spreading it on cod with breadcrumbs (recipe), adding it to potato to make pesto gnocchi (recipe) or just having some spread on toasted sourdough! I wanted to use it in a salad and was inspired by deliciously Ella’s butterbean pesto salad. I added a few of my own bits and bobs which made it more appealing to Paulie and I. This is quite a hearty lunch and incredibly tasty, great was to use up some spare pesto left in the jar.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1/2 pack of halloumi cheese
• 1/2 pack of rocket or salad leaves
• 1 tin of butter beans
• 1/3 jar pesto (I used our homemade)
• Tbsp preserved lemons chopped, optional (recipe here)
• Good crack of black pepper
• Tbsp olive oil
• Tbsp Lemon oil (or a squeeze of fresh lemon)

Method

1. Heat a frying pan on a medium to low heat. Thinly slice the halloumi about 1cm thick and place in the pan, cook until lightly browned on both sides and set aside on kitchen paper.
2. Cook the butter beans according to instructions I microwaved mine for 1 1/2 min stirred and cooked for another 1 1/2 min, drain and rinse the beans in cold water removing any skins that have come off.
3. Using the same pan you cooked the halloumi add the drained butter beans, pesto, oils or lemon juice, pepper and preserved lemons briefly cook for 2 mins mixing well to coat the beans in the pesto mixture.
4. Add a handful of rocket to each serving dish spoon over the bean and pesto mix and add the halloumi on top, can drizzle with extra oil if required.