Haloumi mushroom bites with sundried tomato and basil - easy to make, delicious, healthy, quick Christmas canapé.
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Usually, I can honestly say that I have no idea where the recipes that I call 'created by Claire' come from.
Usually they pop into my head late at night when I'm trying to go to sleep and I have to tell Siri
But this one was inspired by a canapé I had at a party.
It was little piece of halloumi, topped with something I can't quite remember and prosciutto.
It was delicious.
As soon as I bit into it I was dreaming of recreating something similar at home.
This was my lunch the day I came up with the idea and what a delicious lunch it was.
It's not often this happens the first time bite into something.
It made me close my eyes, rolling them to the heavens because it tastes amazing (in my humble opinion).
I built the little bites based purely on Christmas colours.
I had no idea if everything would work together but it was like they were made for each other.
The salty, squeaky halloumi, topped with earthy, buttery basil mushrooms and the sweet home-grown, homemade sun-dried tomato and basil on top worked together to make a little bite of deliciousness.
Yep eating my Haloumi mushroom bites with sundried tomato and basil made me very happy (can you tell?).
They were so easy and quick to make too.
I literally threw them together while bubba's lunch was heating in the Thermomix.
Everyone's always looking for quick, easy starters for entertaining - well here you go, you're welcome.
I'm going to give them bonus points for being pretty too but they're also healthy.
There's all this hype about 'superfoods' at the moment but you don't need to spend $20 on a tiny bag of chia seeds to get your hit.
The humble mushroom ticks a lot of superfood boxes.
They're nutrient-rich, flavour-rich, low in calories and they're a lot less expensive and easier to find than most superfoods.
Don't be tempted to leave out the butter.
I reckon it's a superfood itself and it really makes the mushrooms shine.
Have I made you want to reach into the screen and pinch that bite out of my hand?
Sorry, it went straight into my mouth as soon as I got a non-blurry shot of it. Enjoy!
What about you? What's your favourite way to eat mushrooms?
This post was sponsored by the Australian Mushroom Growers' Association.
Recipe
Haloumi mushroom bites with sundried tomato and basil
Ingredients
- 4 button mushrooms sliced
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 block halloumi 180g or 6oz
- 12 small sundried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves plus extra for serving
- Cracked pepper
Instructions
- Cut the haloumi into slices about 0.5cm (¼") thick and then in half to make a small rectangle.
- Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and cook the haloumi until golden on both sides then set aside.
- Heat a smaller saucepan, melt the butter then add the chopped basil and cook, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms and cook just until soft then remove to a plate.
- Place the sundried tomatoes in the pan and heat just a little to bring out the flavour.
- Lay the haloumi on a serving platter or in serving spoons.
- Top with some of the mushrooms then a sundried tomato and sprinkle with a little cracked pepper.
- Finish with a piece of basil and serve immediately.
JJ - 84thand3rd says
Oh what a great combo of ingredients and so festive for Christmas!
Claire says
I thought they were a bit festive ;-)
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Butter and mushrooms-a heavenly combo! Hehe that is so cute about your recipe development process :P
Claire says
Isn't it a good combo? I could eat just that!
Hotly Spiced says
These are very pretty and so festive with all their Christmasy colours. I do love the combination of haloumi and mushrooms. Isn't it always the way that our best ideas come to us just as we're falling asleep xx
Claire says
Yep. So often I get Siri to remember things for me! x
My Kitchen Stories says
What delicious little mushroom bites. Perfect for a canape.
Claire says
I thought so!
MushroomEnthusiast says
Claire - your recipe ideas never fail to impress. Love the combination in these little bites. Looks like a delicious Christmas at my place......
Claire says
Why thank you!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I just bought a bag of mushrooms and I'm putting them in a chicken pie for dinner. I love your haloumi mushroom bites. I made something similar recently only instead of the tomato I splashed in some good balsamic vinegar over the haloumi and topped with mushrooms and a dusting of parsley.
Claire says
That sounds just as good Maureen. Still a bit of sweetness on the top. So yummy!