Saifiyeh Recipe

Prepare greens

Trim and halve the romaine hearts lengthwise. Rinse and spin dry the romaine and baby spinach. Tear larger romaine halves into bite-size pieces if preferred. Place greens in a large salad bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Asparagus

Trim the tough ends from the asparagus (about 1–1.5 inches). Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 1–2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. If preferred, you may instead grill or roast the asparagus after tossing in 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt for a slightly charred flavor.

Snow peas

Trim the ends of the snow peas and remove any strings. If you prefer them tender-crisp, blanch them for 30 seconds with the asparagus and shock in the ice bath; otherwise use raw for more snap.

Strawberries & Avocado

Hull and thinly slice the strawberries. Halve and pit the avocado, then slice or dice it and toss gently with a squeeze of lemon juice (from the vinaigrette ingredient) to prevent browning. Keep fruit refrigerated until assembly.

Prepare halloumi

Slice the halloumi into 1/3-inch slices. Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the halloumi slices in a single layer and sear without moving for 1.5–2 minutes until golden-brown, then flip and brown the other side 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate briefly and then cut into bite-size pieces or leave as strips for plating.

Pickled red onions

If using store-bought pickled red onions, drain slightly. If making quick pickles (optional): thinly slice 1 small red onion and cover with 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt; let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate several hours.

Make vinaigrette

In a blender or food processor add 1/2 cup ripe mango puree, 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp honey (or agave), 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the dressing is too thick, add up to 1 tbsp water and pulse to loosen to a pourable consistency. Transfer to a small jar and refrigerate until assembly.

Toast pistachios

If pistachios are not toasted, heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp pistachios and toast, stirring often, for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and roughly chop once cooled.

Remove greens from the refrigerator. Add the blanched (or grilled) asparagus and snow peas to the bowl with romaine and baby spinach. Arrange sliced strawberries and avocado over the greens. Scatter the warm seared halloumi pieces and add a few tablespoons of pickled red onions distributed across the salad. Sprinkle the toasted chopped pistachios on top.

Drizzle the mango-basil vinaigrette over the salad — start with about 3–4 tbsp and toss gently to coat, adding more to taste. Alternatively, serve dressing on the side. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Divide among 4 plates or serve family style. Serve immediately so the halloumi remains warm and avocado stays fresh.