Greek Inspired Prawn Salad

By Dana Sims @stone_and_twine on October 9, 2021 in Food

Nostimo! Photo: Dana Sims @stone_and_twine

This balmy spring weather has got me thinking about eating lighter, fresher meals, so here’s a recipe for a salad to conjure up dreams of travel, beachside dining and entertaining friends again – wouldn’t that be nice!
Celebrating the best produce we have available to us in Sydney, grab some local prawns, fresh peas, fennel, chilli, mint, haloumi and bread for croutons, and you’ll be able to create a sophisticated salad full of Greek inspired flavour and texture. A zingy homemade tzatziki makes this salad thrive. This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients
600gm green prawns, peeled and deveined, tails removed
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
180gm fresh peas, podded
Large bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
¼ bulb of fennel, finely sliced (and fronds for garnish)
225gm haloumi, sliced
¼ fresh baguette or stick of sourdough torn into croutons
1 large red chilli, finely chopped
Juice of ½ a lemon
1½ tbs olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Tzatziki
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
1 Lebanese cucumber, grated, squeeze well to remove liquid
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1½ cloves garlic, grated
Sea salt to season

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a bowl, marinate the prawns in oregano, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and sea salt to season and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. On a baking tray, place the croutons in a single layer and toss in the remaining olive oil. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-12 minutes until golden brown, tossing halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Blanch the peas in boiling water for 1½ minutes, then remove them from the heat, strain and pour in a bowl of iced water to stop them from cooking further. Strain and set aside.
5. In a pan on medium heat, add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6. In a pan on medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the slices of haloumi for 1 minute on each side and until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
7. Combine all ingredients for the tzatziki in a bowl, stir to combine.
8. Arrange the prawns, peas, fennel, haloumi, baguette and chilli on a large serving plate, then spoon over the tzatziki and add fresh mint on top. Finish it off with a generous squeeze of lemon and plenty of cracked black pepper to serve.

Dana Sims is a Sydney-based food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to here in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.