Vegetarian Haloumi Burger With All of Its Trimmings!

This is the BEST vegetarian burger, I have ever invented! It is served with a lot & a lovely mustard mayonaise! Yum!

Recipe: For 4 haloumi burgers

Ingredients:

* For the burger:

1 block of haloumi cheese, pad dry on kitchen paper, cut into 4 thick slices or more

50 gr of panko breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten loose

4 tablespoons of flour, seasoned with grinned black pepper & Maldon sea salt

* For the rest:

bought mayonnaise or home-made

1 heaped tablespoon of Dijon mustard

2 little Gem lettuce, cleaned, washed, spun dry & leaves torn

12 slices of red plum tomatoes

12 thin slices of washed & cleaned cucumber( no seeds )

a fruity EVOO to fry the haloumi slices

2 large white onions, peeled & sliced into rings

1 medium courgette ( zucchini ), washed, cleaned, seeds removed, sliced thinly into long slices with a vegetable peeler

4 kaiser rolls or bread rolls If you like : some of your favourite tomato ketchup!

1. First, make the burgers. Take 4 large deep plates & place them besides each other. In the 1st plate, put the seasoned flour. In the 2 nd plate, place the beaten egg. In the 3rd plate, you put the panko breadcrumbs. On the 4th plate, you put the haloumi burgers.

2. So, with your left hand, you take a big slice of the haloumi & roll it on both sides in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess of flour. Then, with your right hand, take the haloumi trough the beaten egg. Roll it in the egg on both sides. With the same right hand, roll it in the panko breadcrumbs on both sides. Lay it on the 4th plate. Do the same with the rest of the haloumi slices. You put cling film over the top & place into the fridge until you are ready to fry them.

3. Take your courgette ( zucchini ) slices & place them into a fitting bowl. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of a fruity EVOO over it. Add dried Provençal herbs & some Maldon sea salt. Mix everything around with your hands. Put cling film over the top & place into the fridge for at least 1 hour to marinate.

4. When you are ready to make dinner, take everything out of the fridge. Make the mustard mayonnaise. Take about 5 tablespoons of your usual mayonnaise & add 1 heaped tablespoon of Dijon mayonnaise. Mix well with a spoon.

5. Take your bread rolls & slice them into 2. Place some lettuce leaves on the bottom of your burger bun. Add 4 slices of the tomato. Now, heat a grill pan on high. When hot, add the courgette slices in 1 layer in the grill pan. Grill on both sides until charred & cooked trough. Set aside. At the meantime, heat a large non stick pan on high heat & pour 2 tablespoons of EVOO in it. When hot, add the onion slices & fry until golden & cooked trough. Set aside.

6. Take the same large non stick pan & pour 3 to 5 tablespoons of the EVOO in it. Heat up on high. When hit, add the haloumi burgers in it. Fry on both sides until the panko gets golden brown. This will take about 2 minutes per side. Place them on kitchen paper to take off the excess of oil. Do the same with the rest of the haloumi slices.

7. When the haloumi slices are still hot, complete your burger bun. Add 1 piece of the haloumi burger on top of the tomatoes. Place a dollop of the mustard mayonnaise on it. Add a few of the baked onions on it. Add 4 slices of cucumber on that. Add a few slices of the grilled courgettes on it & place the top of the burger on that. Sometimes, I like to add a bit of tomato ketchup on the inside of the top bun.

These are freaking delicious! You will agree with me! :) xxx

You can also find it here on my blog: http://sophiesfoodiefiles.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/sophies-vegetarian-haloumi-burger-with-all-of-its-trimmings/