Halloumi and Eggplant Souvlaki with Tzatziki
This Halloumi and Eggplant Souvlaki features skewers of, you guessed it, eggplant and halloumi kissed by a grill and nestled into a pita laden with tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, and black olives.
Equipment
- Bamboo or metal skewers
- BBQ grill or cast-iron griddle
Ingredients
Halloumi and Eggplant Souvlaki
- 6 bambo skewers
- 250g (9oz) halloumi cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Japanese eggplant cut into 1/2-inch medallions
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon juiced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- fresh ground pepper
Tzatziki
- 1½ cups Greek yogurt
- 2 mini cucumbers shredded
- 1 shallot halved and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
To Serve
- 4 large whole wheat pitas
- 8-12 bibb lettuce leaves washed and dried
- 2 mini cucumbers cut into spears
- ⅓ cup grape tomatoes halved⅓
- ⅓ cup pitted black olives
- 4 sprigs fresh mint
Instructions
For the Souvlaki
- Place the bamboo skewers in a large jug of water and set aside to soak for at least 8 hours.**
- In a large bowl whisk to combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the halloumi and the eggplant and toss to coat. Cover and let them marinate for 8 hours.
For the Tzatziki
- While the eggplant and halloumi are marinating, make the tzatziki. Place the cucumber in the middle of a peice of cheesecloth and form it into a bundle. Squeeze the bundle to remove as much moisture from the cucumber as possible.
- Place the yogurt, cucumber, shallots, garlic, mint, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve. The tzatziki will last in the fridge for a week.
To Assemble
- String the halloumi and eggplant onto the skewers, taking care not to split the halloumi while you're threading it.
- Oil your grill or cast-iron griddle with a little neutral oil and heat over high until smoking. Add the skewers and grill on both sides, waiting for the halloumi to release from the grill before turing.*** Repeat on the opposite side and transfer to a plate.
- Line a pita with lettuce leaves and top with a sizable dollop of tzatziki. Slide the eggplant and halloumi off of two skewers into the pita and top with tomatoes, cucumber, mint, and olives. Fold the pita close and repeat with the remaining pita and souvlaki. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
** I'm sure it goes without saying but if you have metal skewers, you can skip this step.
*** Once the halloumi has developed enough of a crust it will lift from the grill easily. Feel free to give it a little encouragement with an offset spatula but resist the urge to flip the cheese prematurely as it will tear.