Drizzle Versatile Vinaigrette over each salad and top with a sprinkling of Cumin Salt and chopped mint.
serving & menu ideas
We especially love this dish with Pine Nut–Crusted Fish, Lemon Herb Tofu, and Vietnamese Noodle Salad.
baby greens with pecans & pears
A perfect balance of flavors and textures, this salad is sure to become a favorite first course to enjoy while supper cooks. Replace the pecans with Sweet Spiced Nuts for a special touch.
SERVES 4
TIME: 20 MINUTES
8 cups baby greens or torn romaine or leaf lettuce (about 8 ounces)
2 firm but ripe pears
Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette or Versatile Vinaigrette
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup toasted pecans
Rinse and dry the salad greens. Cut the pears in half, core them, and cut into matchsticks or thin slices. Lightly coat the pears with a little dressing to prevent discoloration.
In a large salad bowl, toss together the greens and pears. Sprinkle the top with cheese and pecans. Pass the vinaigrette at the table.
INGREDIENT NOTES You can purchase grated cheese, but Parmesan looks and tastes even better if you buy it in a chunk and use a coarse grater to shred it or a sharp vegetable peeler to make curls.
This salad is also good with blue cheese or chèvre.
serving & menu ideas
Perfect with Creamy Lemon Pasta or Baked Stuffed Tomatoes.
corn & pepper salad
SERVES 6
TIME: 25 MINUTES
DRESSING
¼ cup lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
dash of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can of corn kernels, drained
1 cup sliced red radishes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup thinly sliced celery
In a serving bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Add the corn, radishes, bell peppers, and celery to the bowl. Toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
serving & menu ideas
Prepare this festive salad with Nachos Grandes or Bean & Cheese Quesadillas. Serve it with bread and cheese or hard-boiled eggs, and you have a light meal.
broccoli slaw
What an effortless way to add a nutritious side dish to almost any supper. Make up the whole package of slaw mix and snack on the leftovers—the slaw improves with time.
SERVES 4 TO 6
TIME: 10 MINUTES
3 cups packaged broccoli slaw mix (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar
salt and pepper
Toss together the broccoli slaw, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away, or to allow the flavors to deepen, let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or more.
INGREDIENT NOTE Broccoli slaw mixes can be found in the produce section of large supermarkets. We like Mann’s brand, which includes broccoli, red cabbage, and carrots.
variations
Add chopped raisins, thinly sliced red onions or scallions, chopped cilantro, sliced or chopped celery, grated carrots, and/or sliced or minced red bell peppers.
For creaminess, add a tablespoon of mayonnaise.
serving & menu ideas
This is a nicely textured salad to serve with Bean & Cheese Quesadillas, Tortilla Melt, or Savory Bread & Cheese Bake.
beet salad
Raw beets give this salad a definite earthiness. For a mellower flavor, use cooked beets. Either way, it’s a beautiful salad that adds color to your supper.
SERVES 4 TO 6
TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES
3 or 4 raw beets
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
2 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Peel the beets and cut them in half. Place the beets in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until they are reduced to little chunks, or shred the beets with a food processor or by hand using the largest holes of a grater. (You’ll need 2½ to 3 cups.)
In a serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt. Add the beets, scallions, and parsley and toss well. Add sugar to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
INGREDIENT NOTE To make this salad with cooked beets, use two 15-ounce cans of whole beets, or enough to make about 2 cups shredded.
serving & menu ideas
A quick and easy side dish for pastas, sandwiches, or fish. We especially like it with Green & White Bean Gratin and Kasha & Orzo with Portabellas. For a great combination that’s one of our favorite simple suppers, serve Beet Salad and Bean & Walnut Spread with rye bread or crackers and a mild cheese and/or hard-boiled eggs.
greek salad
This simple salad goes with many dishes. Or add some or all of the extras we suggest and make a meal of it.
SERVES 2 TO 4
TIME: 15 MINUTES
4 cups sliced romaine lettuce
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ red or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
about 12 kalamata olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
DRESSING
⅓ cup olive oil (extra-virgin is nice)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of black pepper
Fill a serving bowl or platter with the romaine. Arrange the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, olives, and feta on top. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.
serving & menu ideas
Instead of making the dressing, just sprinkle the oregano directly on the salad and have cruets of olive oil and vinegar and salt-and-pepper shakers on the table. This is a great side salad for Greek Frittata, Seared Scallops, or Pine Nut–Crusted Fish. To transform it into a satisfying one-dish meal, add stuffed grape leaves, chickpeas or butter beans, and/or artichoke hearts. Or serve with Herbed Hummus and warm pita bread.
pan-asian slaw
We call this Pan-Asian Slaw because the hot oil technique is used all over Asia. The hot oil intensifies and yet mellows the flavor of the scallions.
SERVES 4
TIME: 10 MINUTES
6 ounces Asian slaw mix (about 3 cups)
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1½ tablespoons rice vinegar or white vinegar
Place the slaw in a serving bowl. Put the scallions on top, but do not stir.
In a small microwave-safe
