One of my favourite cheeses is Manouri. Manouri is one of the oldest whey cheeses to come from the Mediterranean region. It’s a soft cheese that’s pressed into a log shape and it holds together as you slice into it. It’s rich, it’s buttery (won’t win any friends in the lean cuisine world), it’s wonderful in savory cheese pies (pittes) and it often appears as part of a dessert. One can simply drizzle some good Greek honey on Manouri to get the gist of what I’m talking about.

Manouri is made from sheep’s whey (sometimes a combo of sheep and goat) and it’s enriched with whole milk or cream. Manouri is mostly produced in Epirus, Macedonia and Thessaly. Manouri can be found at most Greek delis and grocers and if you live in a community with little or no Greeks (maybe you should move?), ricotta silata is similar.

Manouri is a cheese that also holds up well when grilled. Of all the cheeses I’ve grilled, this one seems to hold up the best over heat. Your only danger here is leaving the cheese for too long on the grill. Any cheese will eventually melt into a blob if you leave it on the grill for too long.

Grilled Manouri Cheese

(serves 2)

2 – 1/2 inch slices of Manouri cheese

olive oil

honey

sesame seeds

slices of lemon

1. Pre-heat your gas or grill pan to medium-high on your stove-top. Lightly rub your slices of Manouri cheese with olive oil. Brush and wipe your grill’s surface before grilling. 
2. Dab some paper towel in vegetable oil and wipe your grill surface. Place the Manouri cheese on your grill and sear for about 1 1/2  minutes/side. Carefully remove from the grill and keep warm.
3. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle sesame seeds and serve with lemon slices.

Pro tip: Lately I’ve been using cooking sprays to lubricate grill surfaces. Try it…it works!