Lebanese chicken meatball & halloumi salad with pomegranate dressing

Name: Lebanese chicken meatball & halloumi salad with pomegranate dressing
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 medium zucchini; 1 pound ground chicken; 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions; 1/4 cup chopped mint; optional: 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 2 tablespoons tahini; as needed: 1/2-1 cup Panko bread crumbs; 3-4 heads baby romaine lettuce, chopped; 1 cup canned chick peas, drained; 4 Persian cucumbers, sliced in rounds; 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; option: in season cherry tomatoes, sliced in half; 4 teaspoons ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses; 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; option: 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds; kosher salt, to taste; halloumi *see recipe; 1 cup orzo, cooked according to directions or *see recipe

You can make this is a salad or leave the greens out and have it alone. If making with the orzo, cook the orzo first and set aside. I have a few orzo recipes on the website for variations. The halloumi should be grilled right before serving otherwise it become rubbery.

The pomegranate dressing adds a nice kick to the entire dish, and brings us straight into the Middle East. Pomegranates have a 4,000 year history in almost every part of the world. They’re high in Vitamin C and potassium, along with antioxidants not found in many fruits.

In Persia, during the wedding ceremony, a basket of pomegranates is placed on the ceremonial cloth to symbolize a joyous future. In Turkey, after the marriage ceremony, the bride throws a pomegranate on the ground. The number of arils that fall out are believed to indicate how many children she will have.

In Crete, when a bride enters her new home, the groom hands her a pomegranate. In China, a picture of a ripe, open pomegranate is a popular wedding present, expressing the wish, “May you have as many children as there are seeds!” (Pomegranates.org)

Lebanese chicken meatball & halloumi salad with pomegranate dressing

Posted by Barbara

Ingredients

Recipe serves: 4

	1 medium zucchini
	1 pound ground chicken
	1/3 cup finely chopped scallions
	1/4 cup chopped mint
	optional: 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
	3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
	1 teaspoon ground cumin
	1 teaspoon ground coriander
	1 1/2 teaspoons salt
	2 tablespoons tahini
	as needed: 1/2-1 cup Panko bread crumbs
	salad
	3-4 heads baby romaine lettuce, chopped
	1 cup canned chick peas, drained
	4 Persian cucumbers, sliced in rounds
	1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
	1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
	option: in season cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
	dressing
	4 teaspoons ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes
	3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
	2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
	2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
	2 tablespoons white vinegar
	3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
	option: 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
	kosher salt, to taste
	additions
	halloumi *see recipe
	1 cup orzo, cooked according to directions or *see recipe

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Posted by Barbara

time
1 hour
serves
4
skill level
Medium

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini
1 pound ground chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped mint
optional: 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tahini
as needed: 1/2-1 cup Panko bread crumbs
salad
3-4 heads baby romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup canned chick peas, drained
4 Persian cucumbers, sliced in rounds
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
option: in season cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
dressing
4 teaspoons ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
option: 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
kosher salt, to taste
additions
halloumi *see recipe
1 cup orzo, cooked according to directions or *see recipe

Directions

1 Done	Preheat oven to 350F.
2 Done	Grate zucchini, combine with ½ teaspoon salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3 Done	Mix together zucchini and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. If the mixture feels too wet, add a ½ cup of Panko bread crumbs.
4 Done	Form the mixture into large size balls, the size of a golf ball. You can also use an ice cream scoop, and place balls on a baking sheet.
5 Done	Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, turn meatballs over and cook for another 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
6 Done	dressing In another smaller bowl, water with soaked sumac, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, vinegar and olive oil. Whisk to combine and season with salt as needed.
7 Done	salad Mix all the salad ingredients together, our in half the dressing, toss, taste, add salt, and add more dressing to taste.
8 Done	Divide salad into bowls, add 3-4 meatballs to each and a scoop of orzo and a hot slice of halloumi.