Sticky marmalade halloumi with couscous salad

Sweet, sticky halloumi on top of a fresh, crunchy carrot and toasted almond couscous

The second recipe from my 20 recipes in 20 minutes series and this one features one of my favourite ingredients - halloumi cheese. Glazing it in tangy orange marmalade results in the tastiest sweet, salty combo that is so good served on a quick, easy couscous salad with grated carrot, watercress and crunchy, nutty toasted almonds.

Couscous is always a lifesaver for quick meals, as it requires no cooking - just pour over boiling water. The only cooking required in this recipe is the halloumi which takes 5 minutes or so.

This is so tasty and vibrant and makes a gorgeous meal that can be enjoyed in any season. Saying that, January is marmalade season, so it feels like a great excuse to eat it on repeat as a pick me up on cold, winter days. It’s like a little taste of sunshine.

You’ll need (serves 2):

• 120g couscous (dried weight)

• 1 tsp bouillon vegetable stock powder

• 40g flaked almonds

• 1 large or 2 small carrots, grated

• 2 handfuls watercress, or rocket

• Juice of half an orange

• Extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil

• 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 block halloumi (approx 200-220g), sliced

• 3-4 tbsp orange marmalade

Boil a kettle. Put the couscous and bouillon in a small bowl and pour over enough hot water to cover it plus about 1cm extra.

Heat a frying pan (without oil) to a medium temperature and toast the almonds until they change colour and smell toasted - keep them moving and be careful not to burn them.

Grate the carrot and add it to a large bowl. Add the watercress too. Once the couscous is done (only need about 5 minutes) add that too, as well as just over half the almonds. Add a glug of olive oil, juice in the orange, add the vinegar and season well with salt and pepper. Give it a good mix, and adjust the vinegar and salt and pepper if you want to add more of any of them.

Heat a frying pan with a little oil in to a medium/hot temperature. Fry the halloumi until golden on both sides.

Add 3-4 heaped tablespoons of marmalade and move it around to coat it. Turn the heat off.

Divide the couscous between two bowls, top with the halloumi and finish with the rest of the almonds. Dig in.