User:Matzahballsoup/Halloumi

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Halloumi or haloumi (Greek: Χαλλούμι) (/həˈluːmi/) is a semi-hard, unripened cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. Its texture is described as squeaky. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled, a property that makes it a popular meat substitute. Rennet (mostly vegetarian or microbial) is used to curdle the milk in halloumi production, although no acid-producing bacteria are used in its preparation.

Halloumi is often associated with the island of Cyprus, where it has been produced by a multi-ethnic population for many centuries. It is also popular throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. It became widely available in Turkey after 2000. By 2013, demand in the United Kingdom had surpassed that in every other European country except Cyprus. A halloumi-style sheep's-milk cheese is produced by Cypriots in England under the name "Anglum" (the protected name "halloumi" cannot be used).

Halloumi is a registered trademark in the United States (owned by the Cyprus government) and the UK (owned by the Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi). It is also protected as a geographical indication in the EU, as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which means within the EU only products made in certain parts of Cyprus can be called "halloumi". PDO protection for Halloumi was delayed largely due to a conflict between dairy producers and sheep and goat farmers as to whether (and how much) cow's milk the cheese may contain.

Overview and preparation[edit]
Halloumi is often used in cooking, and can be fried until brown without melting due to its higher-than-typical melting point. This makes it an excellent cheese for frying or grilling (as in saganaki) or fried and served with vegetables, or as an ingredient in salads. There are many recipes that use halloumi beyond simple grilling.

Traditional halloumi is a semicircular shape, about the size of a large wallet, weighing 220–270 grams (7.8–9.5 oz). The fat content is approximately 25% wet weight, 47% dry weight with about 17% protein. Its firm texture when cooked causes it to squeak on the teeth when being chewed.

Traditional halloumi is made from unpasteurised sheep and goat milk. Aged halloumi is also popular. Kept in its brine, it is much drier, much stronger and much saltier.

Sealed, halloumi can last in the refrigerator for as long as a year.