Salad

You can leave out the salami for a vegetarian version of this winter panzanella.

The dressing for this salad is on the less acidic side: Once the tart pickled vegetables are in the mix, it will be perfectly balanced.

Look for pea shoots at the farmers' market or at Asian markets (though any tender green will work in a pinch).

An easy and fresh alternative to traditional green salads, this chilled North African-inspired dish combines potato, bell peppers, cucumbers, and olives with a light and tangy vinaigrette. Simple to prepare, it's great to double or triple for potlucks or group meals. Serve with the salad spread out on a large platter to let the colors and shapes of the ingredients shine. Make extra dressing to reinvigorate leftovers the next day. For a pretty variation, serve the salad garnished with sliced or diced cooked beets.

This is a lovely crunchy and tangy accompaniment to cold meats and salads. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

Peanut butter, ginger and fresh basil bring out the Thai character of this tasty rice-and-chicken salad

This hits all the notes of a great slaw: creamy, tangy, and crunchy.

Here's how to time this: Have the salad and onion ring components ready before you cook the steak and the sauce, then keep the sauce warm while you fry the onions. Toss the salad at the last moment.

Done well, this should be crunchy, fresh, spicy, sour, and a little bit funky. Taste as you go and adjust as needed.

If you can't find freekeh, use another whole grain, like spelt or rye berries.

Super-healthy and really light, this beautiful salad is bright-looking and -tasting. These days it's not too difficult to find great-quality raw salmon. If you ask your local market for sushi-grade salmon, its freshness will be guaranteed. Once you have found the salmon, the hard work is done.

Tender spinach is tossed with sliced fennel bulb and sweet pears in this simple salad that delivers complex flavor. Make it an entree salad by adding 4 ounces of grilled chicken per person.

From the kitchen of food blogger Hilary Finch Hutler of tummyrumblr.com comes beautiful and fresh take on a classic salad combination: fruit, nuts, and cheese. Toasted hazelnuts are the perfect match for sweet, ripe pears, and finely grated vintage cheddar cheese adds plenty of interest to the classic buttermilk dressing.

These lettuce wraps put a fresh, modern spin on a favorite Asian appetizer. Spiced with chili sauce, ginger, and garlic, this dish will leave you craving more!

Rather than fussily cutting the grapefruit into neat segments, Mattos cuts them crosswise into disks; he likes the slightly bitter flavor of the membrane itself.

Make this dish ahead of time: It's great at room temperature.

A version of this salad has been on Estela's menu since its opening; Mattos has tried it with summer squash and apples in place of the kohlrabi. In any case, make sure not to cut your slices too thin—they need to stand up to the nuts and cheese.

Mattos says to get both the walnuts and the breadcrumbs very toasty and dark brown; he loves the contrast between the rich, crunchy bits and the bright, juicy endive on top.

Think of the crunchy, granolaish sesame clusters as seedy croutons for this juicy and bracing salad.

Soaking the onion mellows its sharpness. If you can't find fresh horseradish, add 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish to the crème fraîche mixture.