The chapter on main dishes in my cookbook, "Greek Out," starts with an explanation of what "main dish" means to me. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Most people, understandably, immediately think of dinner. Because in many places that's the biggest meal of the day, and it's usually meat plus starch plus vegetable. But the way I grew up thinking about meals, a main dish is more of a feeling than a set formula, and it's definitely not just about dinner. First of all, when I was growing up, the biggest meal of the day was usually lunch.
For this main dish, the idea is simple: Rub the halibut with sumac and cinnamon and a little drizzle of olive oil, grill until caramelized and charred, then hit it with some honey. Chewy, creamy, cheesy, sweet, salty — they're all in attendance in one fun handheld barbecue dish. Halloumi isn't as Greek as graviera as far as firm, salty cheeses go, but it holds its shape so nicely and goes toe to toe with the tender, juicy halibut.
Ingredients (Serves 4 as a main or 10 as an appetizer)
- 012 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)
- 021 pound skinless wild halibut, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 039 ounces halloumi, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 0410 slices crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 0510 dates, pitted
- 0610 figs, stemmed
- 071 teaspoon sumac
- 081 teaspoon garlic powder
- 091 teaspoon onion powder
- 101/2 teaspoon salt
- 111/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 121/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 133 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 14Honey, lemon juice, and fresh mint, for serving
- 15Store-bought toum (garlic spread), for serving (optional)
Instructions
**Prep the halibut:** If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest, sumac, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Use paper towels to pat the halibut cubes dry, then transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the seasoning mixture and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and gently toss to coat the fish.
**Assemble the skewers:** In a second medium bowl, combine the bread, figs and halloumi with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Thread each skewer with a piece of bread, halloumi, halibut and fig, plus a date. Repeat until you've run out of ingredients and have made 10 skewers.
**Grill:** Heat the grill to medium heat — about 400 F or 200 C — and brush or spray with olive oil. Add the skewers and grill until char marks form on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the remaining three sides, until the halibut is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 8 to 12 minutes total.
**Serve:** Transfer the skewers to a plate or platter, hit 'em with a drizzle of honey and lemon and a sprinkle of mint, then serve with toum, if desired.
Maria Koutsogiannis is CEO and creator of FoodByMaria, a community of nearly 4 million followers who enjoy Greek and Mediterranean recipes. She grew up working in her parents' Greek diner and traveling to Greece every summer. She lives in New York City and Calgary, Alberta, with her husband and two dogs.
Excerpted from "Greek Out" by Maria Koutsogiannis. Copyright © 2026 by Maria Koutsogiannis. Used with permission of Voracious.