Greek Halloumi Skewers With Hazelnut Pesto

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F and place the hazelnuts on an oven tray. Roast hazelnuts for around 10 minutes or until fragrant. Remove them to a bowl to cool and replace with the pine nuts. Roast the pine nuts for 5 minutes until browned.

Step 2

Once the hazelnuts have cooled, rub them between slightly damp hands so the skins flake off.

Step 3

Blanch the basil leaves by dipping them in a saucepan or bowl of freshly boiled water, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry.

Step 4

Blend all the pesto ingredients until you reach your desired consistency, adding more oil to loosen the pesto into a sauce. Leave some hazelnuts and pine nuts whole to garnish.

Step 5

Top and tail the zucchini/courgettes and slice each one into 3 evenly sized pieces.

Step 6

Drain the halloumi and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Cut it into chunks around the same size as the zucchini.

Step 7

Heat olive oil in two frying pans over medium heat until it glistens. Saute the zucchini in one, and the halloumi in the other, turning occasionally with tongs until browned on all sides.

Step 8

Thread the halloumi and zucchini onto skewers and plate, drizzling with the hazelnut pesto sauce and a few extra pine nuts and chopped hazelnuts.