Sometimes the best meals come from a lucky detour. I was heading home to Casa Adora after a week on the road in Florie, my Fiat Ducato campervan, when I swung into Lidl for a quick resupply. Greek week. I could have wept with joy, because pan-fried halloumi with mint had just become a real possibility, and in rural Andalucía that's not something you take for granted.

Halloumi is not easy to find in rural Andalucía. Mercadona doesn't stock it. The local fruterías certainly don't. So when Lidl does Greek week, you don't buy one pack — you buy four, vacuum-sealed and good for months in the fridge. I also grabbed a block of feta and some stuffed baby peppers while I was at it. The chilli came from the house — I always have fresh red chillies on hand, picked up at Mercadona or ordered through La Caja Saludable.

The goat's cheese ravioli and the bio tomato salsa? Also Lidl. Everything on this plate except the chilli walked through my door in one carrier bag.

Pan-Fried Halloumi with Mint — The Simple Way

Pan-fried halloumi with mint is one of those dishes I never tire of. A little olive oil in a hot pan and the halloumi sliced about 1cm thick, two or three minutes each side until you get that golden crust with the slightly yielding centre. Fresh mint scattered over at the end — not cooked, just torn and laid on top while the cheese is still hot. That's it.

It works just as well on a two-ring gas hob in the van as it does at Casa Adora. If you have a vegetarian friend coming for dinner and you're wondering what to cook, this is your answer. Substantial, satisfying, and ready in under twenty minutes from start to plate.

The Rest of the Plate

The goat's cheese ravioli went into boiling salted water while the halloumi was resting. The bio tomato salsa — straight from the jar, no apology — was warmed through with the fresh red chilli, split lengthways and left in the sauce to give it a gentle background heat rather than a full chilli hit.

The asparagus was chargrilled in a dry, ridged pan with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Three or four minutes, turning once. It wants a little char on it — don't be timid.

A Note on Halloumi

If you live somewhere halloumi is easy to source, count yourself lucky. In rural Andalucía it's a genuine find. When it appears, I stock up. It keeps well vacuum-packed, it's endlessly versatile, and pan-fried in olive oil it's one of the most satisfying things you can put on a plate — meat or no meat.

How to Make Pan-Fried Halloumi with Mint, Goat's Cheese Ravioli and Chargrilled Asparagus

Serves 1 — easily scaled

Ingredients

• 1 pack halloumi (approx. 250g), sliced 1cm thick
• A small handful of fresh mint leaves, torn
• Olive oil
• 150g goat's cheese ravioli (shop-bought)
• 3–4 tbsp bio tomato salsa (from a jar)
• 1 large fresh red chilli, split lengthways — from Mercadona or La Caja Saludable if you're ordering Spanish produce
• 6–8 asparagus spears
• Salt

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the halloumi slices and cook for 2–3 minutes each side until golden. Remove from the pan and scatter with torn fresh mint.

Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain.

While the ravioli cooks, warm the tomato salsa in a small pan with the split red chilli. Let it simmer gently for a few minutes, then remove the chilli before serving – or leave it in if you want more heat.

Chargrill the asparagus in a ridged pan with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until lightly charred.

Plate the halloumi, ravioli and asparagus together. Spoon the warm tomato salsa over the ravioli.

Find more recipes in my Cheese Hub and Pasta Hub.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef