Cucumber

If you use beets of different sizes, keep in mind that their cooking times may vary. Take each out of the oven as it’s ready (knife-tender).

For a side dish, try basmati rice cooked with a pinch of saffron.

You can substitute any variety of ripe tomato for the heirlooms called for here.

Tangy homemade pickles and onions bring intense flavor and satisfying heft to these sandwiches. However, you can omit step 1 and use jarred pickles; just do keep in mind that these may increase your sodium intake.

We serve this salad on whole-grain toast as an open-face sandwich, but it is also delicious mounded on a bed of crisp salad greens.

Although fresh mackerel can be hard to find, smoked mackerel is often sold in the refrigerated section of supermarkets; it is also available from mail-order sources. We used the peppered variety, but any type will do.

This salad tastes best up to 1 hour after making it. To make ahead store the salad components separately (up to 3 hours), and toss before serving.

To pit the olives, place them on a cutting board, and press firmly with your thumb. The olives will split, and the pits can be easily removed.

You can intensify the garlic flavor by rubbing an additional clove on one side of the toasted bread before tearing it into chunks.

Chioggia beets are pink on the outside and striped on the inside. Because they are not cooked in this recipe, choose tender baby beets. You can use red or golden beets if Chioggia beets are unavailable. After your grill becomes hot, grill the lemon halves, cut side down, until lightly charred. Remove, let cool slightly, and squeeze their warm juice over the vegetables.

Ricotta salata is a firmer version of fresh ricotta; it is perfect for shaving over salads.

To keep watercress fresh, wrap it in damp paper towels and place it in a resealable plastic bag. Stored this way, it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Just before making the salad, “crisp” the watercress by soaking it in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes, then gently pat dry.

Martha served this gazpacho over tomato aspic in a glass as a portable first course, but the gazpacho can also be served on its own.