Recipe: Greek lemon & halloumi veggie kabobs

Grilled, slightly-charred halloumi takes on a chewy, meaty quality that will steal the show at any backyard barbecue. Strung onto skewers with colorful veggies and lemon slices and then grilled to perfection, these Greek-flavored kabobs make a memorable main dish with some crusty bread or pita. Or enjoy them as a side to grilled salmon or chicken. Either way, you’ll feel like you’re on vacation at a bustling taverna with the scent of oregano, lemon, and Kalamata olives wafting through the air.

Be sure to pre-soak your wooden skewers to avoid them catching on fire when grilling, or use metal skewers. Feel free to substitute other veggies, but try to aim for a variety of colors and textures. These kabobs are perfect as-is, but they can also be enjoyed with other mezze such as babaganoush, tzatziki, hummus and tabbouleh.

Greek Lemon & Halloumi Veggie Kabobs

Serves 4-6 (makes 2 dozen kabobs)

Special equipment: 24 wooden skewers, pre-soaked in water

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Fresh cracked pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

8 ounces halloumi, sliced into 1-inch cubes

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into chunks

2 cups brown mushrooms, de-stemmed and halved

1 large lemon, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 large purple onion, cut into chunks

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives

DIRECTIONS

In a very large bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano to make a marinade. Place the halloumi, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, lemon slices and onion in the bowl and toss with your hands to coat all the vegetables in the marinade. Set aside for 30-60 minutes for flavors to meld.

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Preheat grill to 450 degrees. Alternate threading the halloumi and vegetables onto the skewers with a lemon slice in the center until all skewers are filled. Cook kabobs on the preheated grill until vegetables are tender and lightly charred, about 6-7 minutes per side. Place cooked kabobs on a serving platter and scatter with parsley and sliced olives before serving.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.

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