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Summer Made Simple w/ crowd-pleasing shortcuts by Therese Lum

Woman at table with bright salads and meals

 

When it comes to entertaining, Therese Lum makes it look effortless. Her bright summer table, full of colour, texture and movement, proves that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.

This season she’s created four quick, crowd-pleasing dishes using our chef-crafted Salad Servers salads, perfect for BBQs, long lunches or weeknight dinners when you still want something fresh and impressive.

Each pairing is vibrant, balanced and designed to show off our salads at their best.

 

4 protein pairings with salads


Glass Noodles with Asian Vegetables + Chilli Lime Butterflied Prawns

Glass Noodles with Asian Vegetables Salad:
Vermicelli noodles, fresh veggies and a sesame oil dressing.

 Prawns on glass noodle

Protein pairing:
Grilled prawns with chilli and lime.

Grilled prawns with chilli and lime are bright and punchy, while the Glass Noodles with Asian Vegetables Salad is light and fresh. A yuzu-ponzu dressing adds citrus lift, gentle sweetness and clean umami depth that ties the prawns and noodles together without overpowering them.

INGREDIENTS:

8–12 large raw prawns, shell on or off (your choice), deveined | Sea salt | Neutral oil (e.g., canola, grapeseed, rice bran)

 

 

METHOD:

  1. To prep the prawns, rinse the prawns under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. To butterfly the prawns, lay each prawn flat on a board, belly side down. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, make a shallow cut along the back from head to tail to expose the vein. Remove the vein and gently press the prawn open like a book to make it lie flat but still hold together.
  3. Lightly sprinkle both sides with sea salt. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes while you heat the pan.
  4. Heat a non-stick or stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. The oil should shimmer before adding prawns.
  5. Place the prawns flesh side down in the pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the edges turn opaque and lightly browned.
  6. Flip the prawns to the shell side and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the flesh is fully opaque and just cooked through. Avoid overcooking as they’ll turn rubbery quickly.
  7. Transfer to a plate and let them rest for a minute. Serve with Glass Noodles with Asian Vegetables Salad, lime wedges, and extra chilli for garnish.

Yuzu Ponzu Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp yuzu juice | 1 tbsp rice vinegar | 1½ tbsp soy sauce | 1 tsp honey | 1 tsp sesame oil | 2 tbsp neutral oil | ½ small red chilli (optional) | 1 tsp grated ginger

METHOD:
Whisk yuzu juice, vinegar, soy, honey, sesame oil and ginger. Slowly add neutral oil to blend; stir in chilli if using.

Shop: Glass Noodles with Asian Vegetables Salad

 

Spiced Israeli Couscous Salad + Charred Gochujang Chicken

Spiced Israeli Couscous Salad:
Pearl couscous, lentils, chickpeas, sweet potato, sultanas, almonds, eggplant and herbs, all tossed in a spicy mint dressing.

Spices Israeli couscous

Protein pairing:
Grilled chicken with gochujang glaze.

Charred chicken with a gochujang glaze is smoky, spicy and sweet, while the Spiced Israeli Couscous Salad is earthy, hearty and fragrant. A cooling mint–yoghurt–lime dressing adds freshness and tang, pulling everything together with a Middle-Eastern–Asian twist.

INGREDIENTS:

Gochujang Chicken: 1 kg boneless, skin-on chicken thighs | 1 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. rice bran, canola, grapeseed)

Gochujang marinade: 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean fermented chilli paste) | 1 tbsp soy | 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar | 1 tbsp honey (or brown sugar) | 2 tsp sesame oil | 1 clove garlic, finely grated | 1 tsp ginger, finely grated

 

Therese Lum -with salad servers israeli couscous

METHOD:

  1. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. This will help the marinade cling and ensure good caramelisation when grilling.
  2. To make the marinade, whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until smooth in a large bowl.
  3. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight for a deeper flavour.
  4. Preheat to 180 °C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with foil and place a wire rack on top, or line the tray with baking paper for easier clean-up.
  5. Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer on the tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the marinade is bubbling and caramelised.
  6. For slightly charred edges, switch the oven to grill/broil for the last 2–3 minutes. Keep a close eye as the marinade can burn easily.
  7. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, and serve with Spiced Israeli Couscous Salad, lime wedges & coriander for garnish.

 

Mint Yoghurt Lime Dressing Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Greek yoghurt | 1 cup fresh mint leaves | small handful coriander (optional) | 2 tbsp lime juice | 1 tbsp rice vinegar | 1 tbsp honey | 1 garlic clove, grated | 2 tbsp olive oil | salt to taste

METHOD:
Blitz herbs, lime juice, vinegar, honey and garlic. Add yoghurt and oil, blend until smooth. Adjust lime or honey to taste.

Shop: Spiced Israeli Couscous Salad

 

Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad + Grilled Snapper

Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad:
Edamame, freekeh, kale, lentils and seeds tossed together in a fragrant dressing.

Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad:

Protein pairing:
Grilled snapper fillet.

A grilled snapper fillet is clean and delicate, while the Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad is hearty, nutty and earthy. A honey miso dressing adds depth, creaminess and a toasty flavour that ties them together while still letting the snapper shine.

INGREDIENTS:

2 snapper fillets, skin on | Sea salt | Neutral oil with a high smoke point (e.g., canola, grapeseed, rice bran)

 

Therese Lum - snapper with salad servers green goddess

METHOD:

  1. Use paper towels to dry the skin really well — this is key to getting it crispy. Moisture = steam, which softens the skin.
  2. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the fish. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes while you heat the pan.
  3. Place a non-stick or stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom and let it get hot.
  4. Gently lay the snapper skin side down in the pan, away from you to avoid splatter. Use a spatula or iron press to press the fillet down for the first 10–15 seconds so it doesn’t curl.
  5. Cook without moving the fish for 3–4 minutes, depending on thickness, until the edges turn golden and the flesh is mostly opaque.
  6. Carefully flip the fillets and cook the flesh side for 1–2 minutes, or until just cooked through. The fish should flake easily when gently pressed.
  7. Transfer to a warm plate and let rest 1 minute to keep the skin crisp. Serve with Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad, a lime wedge, and coriander for garnish.

 

Honey Miso Dressing Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp white miso paste | 1 tbsp honey | 1 tbsp rice vinegar | 1 tbsp soy sauce | 1 tsp sesame oil | 2 tbsp neutral oil | 1–2 tsp water | ½ tsp grated ginger (optional)

METHOD:
Whisk miso, honey, vinegar, soy and sesame oil until smooth. Slowly add oil, then thin with water if needed.

Shop: Edamame Freekeh Kale Salad

 

Japanese Slaw with Sesame Mayo + Seared Tuna Tataki

Japanese Slaw with Sesame Mayo Salad:
Crunchy red and white cabbage with julienne carrot, soy beans and arame seaweed, finished with a roasted sesame and miso dressing.

Japanese Slaw with Sesame Mayo Salad

Protein pairing:
Seared tuna tataki with sesame crust.

Seared tuna tataki with a sesame crust is rich and savoury, while the Japanese Slaw Salad is fresh, nutty and tangy. A roasted sesame dressing comes with the salad adds glossy sweetness, balanced umami and just enough tang to tie the tuna and salad together.

INGREDIENTS:

200 g sushi-grade tuna loin | Sea salt | 2 tbsp light soy sauce | 1 tbsp mirin (optional, for subtle sweetness) | 1–2 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. rice bran, canola, grapeseed) | 3–4 tbsp white sesame seeds (enough to cover the whole tuna)

 

Therese Lum - tuna with salad servers Japanese slaw

 

METHOD:

  1. Pat the tuna dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt on all sides.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine soy sauce and mirin. Roll the tuna through to coat evenly. Let sit for 5 minutes, then pat off excess marinade.
  3. Roll the tuna evenly in the sesame, pressing gently so the seeds stick to all sides.
  4. Heat a heavy-based or non-stick pan over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat, ensuring the pan is very hot before adding the tuna.
  5. Gently place the tuna in the pan. Sear each side for 20–30 seconds, including the edges. You’re looking for a golden crust while keeping the centre rare to medium-rare. Use tongs to rotate the block as you go.
  6. Transfer the tuna to a board and let it rest for 2–3 minutes. Using a very sharp knife, slice thinly across the grain into ½–1 cm thick slices for that classic tataki presentation.
  7. Arrange slices with Japanese Slaw Salad with Sesame Mayo. 

Shop: Japanese Slaw with Sesame Mayo

Bring It Together

Therese’s table captures what Australian summer is all about: relaxed meals, big flavour and zero stress. With Salad Servers’ chef-crafted ready-made salads, you can mix, match and create your own effortless combinations, whether you’re cooking for friends, family or just yourself for an easy dinner. 

Explore more ready-made salads for entertaining and healthy summer dinner ideas in our full Salad Servers summer range, delivered chilled and fresh across Australia

Shop the full summer salad range → Shop Now

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