Flavor isn’t this recipe’s only asset. Forte emphasizes how this dish can take the stress out of having people over, since it can be prepared mostly in advance — the chimichurri several days ahead and the skewers assembled a few hours before grilling.
The focus on feeding family and friends with ease is at the heart of her book and is something often overlooked when we consider what makes food good for you. Healthy eating is more than what we eat, it is also how we eat, including the community and connection we cultivate when we come together at the table. Anything that makes shared meals more doable is a step in a healthy direction.
I can’t think of a more compelling dish to gather around this summer than this one.
The skewers of juicy nectarines, red onion and halloumi cheese, are brushed with oil, sprinkled generously with oregano and black pepper, then grilled until they are warm, with an appealing char of grill marks.
They are served slathered with a cilantro-mint chimichurri that has a kick of serrano pepper and a touch of sweetness from honey. That sweet-spicy note gives a hot honey vibe that’s heavenly with the sweet fruit and salty cheese. (If you are not a fan of halloumi, Forte suggests subbing chunks of chicken or extra-firm tofu.) If you have extra chimichurri, you can save it for another meal. However you serve it, go ahead and invite friends or family to join you. It will make the meal all the more nourishing.
