Za'atar Crusted Halloumi with Roasted Vegetables and Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 Small Red Onion, coarsely chopped 1” wedges
• 1 Small Zucchini, sliced into 8 strips
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1 t Kosher Salt
• 1 t Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1-2 t Sumac
• 1 C Israeli Couscous (large pearl)
• 1 Onion Wedge (above), minced
• 2 t Olive Oil
• 1½ C Veggie Stock
• 1 Lemon, zested at one part, and cut into wedges (leave one wedge as the zested part)
• 4 oz Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• Several Fresh Basil Leaves, stacked then rolled up and sliced into thin strips
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• 8 oz Halloumi Cheese
• 1 t Olive Oil
• 1 T Za’atar

Instructions

1. 1 Finely Mince One Of The Onion: Finely mince one of the onion wedges.
2. 2 Heat 2 T Olive Oil In: Heat 2 t olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add couscous and minced onion. Sauté until the onion is soft and couscous is toasted. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes (or according to package directions). Remove from heat, add 1 t lemon zest, half the basil, and a squeeze of lemon juice from the zested wedge. Gently fold in the tomatoes and then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. 3 Set The Broiler To High: Set the broiler to high.
4. 4 Place The Onion Wedges And Zucchini: Place the onion wedges and zucchini strips on a large plate. Add 1 T olive oil, salt, pepper, and sumac to taste, gently tossing to coat. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and broil until lightly charred. Toss to turn, then broil until the other side is starting to char. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.
5. 5 Slice The Halloumi Cheese Into ¾”: Slice the halloumi cheese into ¾” strips. Place on the plate and rub both sides with 1 t olive oil. Sprinkle with za’atar and press to coat. Flip and coat the other side.
6. 6 In A Pan On Medium-High Heat: In a pan on medium-high heat, add the cheese. Do not crowd, you may need to cook in batches. Cook on each side, flipping as needed until well-browned.
7. 7 To Serve, Place A Mound Of: To serve, place a mound of couscous on a plate, top with vegetables then the cheese, sprinkle some basil, and then put a lemon wedge on the side for squeezing as desired.