Grilled Shrimp and Greek Bread Cheese

Name: Grilled Shrimp and Greek Bread Cheese
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H5M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H35M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: european
Ingredients: 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided; 1 pint cherry or Campari tomatoes, halved; 2 Kirby or 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced; 1 cup assorted pitted olives; 2 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 lemon, divided; One 10- to 12-ounce block bread cheese, sliced into four pieces

Getting reviews...

So there I am, minding my own business, scanning over the hundred some-odd cheeses that populate my favorite local market's cold case. The usual suspects are there in force - Cheddar varieties for days, countless camemberts, some funky monkey "pistachio-infused" wedge in coordinating green, and bread cheese. What what?? Bread cheese??? I mean, I've done bread and cheese, but ne'er without the two entering into our engagement as initially separate entities. Rick, the archetypal cheese man in his cute tweed derby cap, likened it to a grilling cheese. "The flavor is pretty mild," he tells me, "like a haloumi but not as salty. People buy it up like crazy and eat it for breakfast and dessert. I guess you could use it as a savory snack, too. That would be good." In the basket it goes. Juustoleipa, as the Finnish call their native creation, translates to "cheese bread". The idea is that this cheese is made and then baked, giving it a beautiful signature golden brown surface appearance. To serve it, the Finnish recommend warming it in a microwave or oven to soften the center. They're wicked fancy and make theirs traditionally with reindeer milk, but we mostly get cow's milk varieties in the US. Echoing Rick's comment, it's traditionally served as a breakfast or dessert item smothered in preserves or honey and nuts, but I've got other plans. Combining some Greek salad-inspired flavors of tomato, olive, cucumber and oregano, this surprisingly filling meal offers a fun bit of something different from the typical pasta/rice/polenta portion of dinner. It's got a great chewy (some say "squeaky") texture that's just as satisfying as any traditional carbohydrate. Give it a whirl and leave me a comment below or on Facebook and let me know what you did with it!

Level: Easy
Total: 35 min

Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 5 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy
Total: 35 min

Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 5 min

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 pint cherry or Campari tomatoes, halved

2 Kirby or 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 cup assorted pitted olives

2 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 lemon, divided

One 10- to 12-ounce block bread cheese, sliced into four pieces

Directions

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Lay 8 wooden skewers in a baking dish and cover with cold water; soak for 15 minutes (you can skip this step if using metal skewers). Thread 4 shrimp onto two skewers for each serving. Season the shrimp with the dried oregano and some salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Grill the shrimp, turning occasionally, until pink in color and cooked through, about 5 minutes total.
While the shrimp are on the grill, in a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, olive oil, juice of half the lemon, and some salt and pepper. Let the salad marinate for 5 minutes. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges
Once the shrimp come off the grill, brush both sides of the bread cheese slices with the remaining vegetable oil and grill just until softened, about 20 seconds per side.
Serve the bread cheese while still warm with the vegetable salad, grilled shrimp, wedges of lemon, and a few drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil.

Cook’s Note

If your market or local cheese shop doesn't have bread cheese, you can easily use a block of haloumi to make this meal. Taste it before using any salt, though, as haloumi is brined and can vary in its saltiness from brand to brand.