This summer we had the incredible fortune to work with genius designers and husbands Dan Fink and Thomas O’Brien on their newest joint venture, Copper Beech in Bellport, New York. The store, which operated as a pop-up for the past two months but is planned to be open in earnest in 2017, offered a well-curated selection of home furnishings and accessories, and prepared foods by the What We Eat team (aka Kristina, Rian and me). Even in its “temporary format” (I use quotations because nothing about it appeared temporary), Copper Beech was truly special. That comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Dan and Thomas’s work. Dan and Thomas also happen to be two of the nicest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet, so again, we are counting our blessings.

As private chefs, the learning curve was steep getting into the prepared foods/market business. The takeaways were many. For instance, we now know how to operate in a commercial kitchen, work with suppliers, package our items beautifully but practically, and transport our food safely and efficiently (aka navigate New York streets in massive refrigerated trucks).  But perhaps the most eye opening lesson for me came from our Copper Beech customers: while our private clients enjoy week-to-week variety, our market customers preferred to have the same (or very similar) items from one week to the next. In hindsight this makes total sense. I am always bummed when my go-to’s are all of a sudden off the menu at my local haunts.

The clearest example of this came in the form of a quinoa and grilled corn salad with fried halloumi. We prepared it our opening week and it sold out within a few hours. I was sure there would be the same enthusiasm about our super green quinoa on week two. Instead? “Where’s the quinoa and corn salad?” “Will you be making the quinoa and corn salad again?” “What happened to the quinoa and corn salad?” Our poor super green quinoa, which for the record was a freaking delicious riff on Ottolenghi’s green couscous, got no love at all. We listened. The quinoa and corn salad was on the menu every week thereafter and continued to be a top seller.

So, without further ado, here’s the recipe. It highlights one of the hallmarks of our cooking – a balance between healthy and delicious. We use indulgent ingredients like cheese and nuts to enhance the flavor of things we know we should be eating more of like seasonal vegetables and whole grains. It’s a perfect recipe for the Labor Day weekend because it can be made ahead and served at room temperature, and is a perfect accompaniment to anything grilled – burgers, fish, chicken, you name it. Let us know how you like it!

Quinoa and Freshly Shucked Corn with Fried Halloumi

(served 4-6)

1 cup quinoa

4 ears of corn, shucked

¼ cup mint, roughly chopped (plus some whole leaves to scatter atop the finished dish)

¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped (plus some whole leaves to scatter atop the finished dish)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 teaspoons chili powder, divided

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 package halloumi (a wonderfully salty cheese that can withstand high temperatures, allowing it to maintain its when cooked)

3 limes, juiced

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1. Make quinoa: Measure 1 cup quinoa and 1 ¾ cups water into saucepan with a three-finger pinch of salt. Bring water to boil and then lower the heat to simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, and fluff fork.
2. Grill corn: Drizzle corn with olive oil and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chili powder and a generous pinch of salt. Grill corn on high heat until it begins to develop char marks. Allow corn to cool and then cut the kernals off the cob and into a bowl.
3. Toast pepitas: Lightly toast pepitas in a skillet on medium heat with a small drizzle of olive oil, just enough to coat the seeds. Stir frequently and remove the seeds from heat once they have become crunchy and slightly browned.
4. Make halloumi croutons: Slice halloumi cheese into ½ inch cubes. Heat a skillet on high with a glug of olive oil. Fry cheese until golden brown on all sides, flipping with spatula throughout the cooking process. Drain excess oil off croutons by resting on a paper towel lined plate.
5. Assemble salad: Combine cooled quinoa, corn, sliced tomatoes, chopped herbs, lime juice, olive oil, remaining two teaspoons of chili powder and half of the halloumi cheese and pepitas. Toss to combine and adjust seasoning as needed. Pile the salad into a bowl and top with the rest of the cheese, peptias and extra herbs.