Chicory

Soft and crisp, bitter and sweet—this simple salad is a clean, bright counterpoint to the rest of the meal.

Substituting fried ham for bacon is a great use of everyday deli meat. The sweet pears mellow chicory's pleasant bitterness.

This mix of greens is a knockout blend of textures, and a short sauté in fruity olive oil mellows their slightly bitter flavor.

Full of fiber-rich garbanzo beans, an Indian staple, this healthy dish from Maneet Chauhan is an ideal side or starter. Add grilled shrimp or chicken to make it a meal. You can use the marinade recipe from our tandoori tilapia with hearts of palm salad .

This easy, elegant, and flavorful salad is delicious with a glass of dry Riesling.

Taste restaurant is something of an anomaly in Tinseltown: low-key, affordable and friendly; the hostess smiles whether you're wearing Chanel or Old Navy. It's no wonder that stars such as Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair like to dine here. This salad, from chef Cathy Halter, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce heart disease risk.

Ask the butcher to butterfly the lamb.

In winter we use a variety of greens and winter vegetables to make interesting salads that taste fresh, refresh our palates, and aren't trying to reproduce the delicate leafy greens of the summer.

Burricotti are superb whole-milk mozzarella rounds filled with ricotta (see box). Fresh ricotta also works well in this recipe, which would be a great cheese course, or a simple dessert.

If you can't find burrata, substitute fresh whole-milk mozzarella.