Do you still receive Christmas stockings from your parents? It might sound silly, especially when you’re 27-years-old, but it’s one of my favorites parts of Christmas. Opening a stocking reminds me of opening a goodie bag at a child’s birthday party—anything could be inside.

This year my stocking contained something extra tasty: halloumi. My husband Ed and I became obsessed with halloumi in the two weeks we were in England and Scotland for our wedding in 2017 (more on that here). Since it’s made in Cyprus, it’s much more readily available in the UK; here in the US, it can be pretty pricey since it’s imported (it’s usually about $8 or $9 per pound), but it is so worth it. Halloumi grills easily, doesn’t melt and is a perfect substitute in dishes that might normally use meat. I adore it.

We usually use halloumi to make sandwiches (check out this recipe if you’re interested), but I wanted to do something different with our special Christmas halloumi. Like many a true foodie, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration, and voilà! We were making halloumi tacos.

After we devoured the tacos, Ed and I agreed they were easily in our Top 3 dishes of all time (this recipe also made it to the top of the list). Halloumi was definitely the star, but it was perfectly complemented by a symphony of flavors and textures—creamy avocado, spicy and sour hot sauce, crunchy lettuce and tangy red onions. So simple. So, so good.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. halloumi

• 7 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 T. cilantro, minced

• Yellow onion, minced

• Fresno pepper, minced

• 1/2 c. vegetable stock

• Queso fresco, crumbled

• 2 - 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained

• Red onion, chopped

• Lettuce, shredded

• Avocado, cut into chunks

• Street taco-sized tortillas (corn or flour)

• Sour cream & hot sauce for topping

• Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt & pepper, to taste

STEPS

1) Mince the garlic. Set aside half of it and use the other half to prepare the Creamy Black Beans.

2) Cut the halloumi into slices about 1/4 in. thick. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Swirl the pan to fully cover the bottom with the oil. Place the halloumi slices in the pan and allow them to fry for a couple minutes. Flip the slices and fry for a couple more minutes. You’ll want both sides to be golden brown. Transfer the halloumi to a bowl.

3) Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining minced garlic. Toss the garlic in the leftover oil and allow the pan to warm the garlic thoroughly. Add to the bowl with the halloumi and sprinkle with the cilantro. Toss well to coat.

4) Heat the tortillas for about 15 seconds in the microwave. Top each tortilla with a small spoonful of black beans and a piece of halloumi (you might want to tear it into smaller pieces). Finish by topping with shredded lettuce, chopped red onions and a bit of sour cream and hot sauce.