Salads

Chiffonade of fresh basil, seeded cucumber and flaked Parmesan or feta cheese are all common additions to this summery salad. The proportions of this bread and tomato salad are flexible; adjust them to your liking or based on what you have on hand. We used a prepared vinaigrette in this updated version of the classic dish, but you can replace it with a combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if preferred.

This traditional Middle Eastern salad goes well with many Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like lentil soup, lemon chicken, lamb dishes or kebabs. Add chunks of feta cheese or Kalamata olives to add more complex flavors and serve with lemon wedges.

Most recipes that call for lemongrass only use the bulbous bottom parts, but here you can use the leftover top part of the stalks, or use 2 whole lemongrass stalks.  

This recipe makes a perfect side dish or vegetarian entrée. 

This is a fresh summer recipe, perfect for showcasing local produce (or produce from your own garden!). 

This salad, adapted from a recipe published in Eating Well magazine, uses the popular strawberry-rhubarb combo in a new way. Use local rhubarb, strawberries, spinach and goat cheese when possible!

The tart-sweet flavors of this salad and dressing complement rich and earthy main dishes and chewy hearth breads. Substitute baby spinach or mesclun mix for the baby greens or use feta in place of the goat cheese. Refrigerate any unused dressing for later use.

Local and global tastes combine in this tasty winter salad. If you happen to have a jar of pickled beets from last season's harvest, they can be used as an easy substitute for the quick-pickled beets in the recipe.

Pan-fry or bake prosciutto until crisp and crumble it over the salad or top with toasted walnuts or pine nuts. Use a combination of red and green pears to make a festive holiday plate or add some thinly-sliced Belgian endive or radicchio to the lettuce mix for crunch and color. Try Asian pears for milder crispy sweetness.

What might seem like an odd combination at first quickly proves itself to be a new favorite. You might wonder why you've never mixed together these two summer staples before.