Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint or basil

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from 3-4 limes
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. (If necessary add 1-2 tablespoons more water in cooking.) Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Once the quinoa is cool, add the red bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, fresh herbs and dressing. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar and lime juice if necessary. Chill.

Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients

• 16 oz. long grain/wild rice mix
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. yogurt
• 1 c. chopped celery (around 2 stalks)
• 1 c. chopped tomatoes (around 1 lg.)
• 1/2 c. diced cucumber
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/8-1/2 tsp. salt (or seasoned salt)
• 1/8-1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 c. peanuts, chopped, optional

Preparation

Cook the rice according to package directions, omitting any butter or oil. Let cool. Put in a bowl with all the remaining ingredients but the peanuts. Stir to combine. Can serve right away, or cover and serve cold. Garnish with the peanuts right before serving.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. sherry vinegar
• zest and juice of 2 clementines
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 12 nice black olives, pitted and halved
• sea salt to taste

For the salad:

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 head bibb lettuce
• 1/2 head red lettuce
• 8 oil-packed sardines
• 4 clementines, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds
• sea salt to taste

Preparation

To make the dressing: whisk together olive oil, vinegar, clementine juice, zest, and shallots in a medium bowl. Add olives, season with salt, set aside.

To make the salad: Divide the heads of lettuce into individual leaves and distribute among 4 plates or bowls. Place two sardines and four clementine slices on each salad. Drizzle each salad with dressing and season with sea salt.

Jose Andres Foods

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger

• 2 tablespoons sweet white miso

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil

• 1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 small/medium head of lettuce (I used Bibb) or mixed greens of your choice

• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 avocado, quartered

Preparation

Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls, add some of the onion and a quarter of the avocado. Drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
• 1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound medium pasta shells
• 1/2 pound shelled fresh or frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups), boiled until tender and drained
• 2 pints red or yellow pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes or a combination, halved
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Preparation

In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, the water, the salt, the sugar, the tarragon, the garlic paste, and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. In a kettle of salted boiling water cook the pasta until it is tender, in a colander rinse it well, and drain it. In the bowl toss the pasta with the dressing, add the peas, the tomatoes, and the basil, and toss the salad well.

Gourmet, June 1993

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon white rice
• 8 ounces skirt or flank steak, leftover or raw
• 6 cups torn salad greens (mixed is nice)
• 1 cup torn fresh herb leaves (mint, cilantro, Thai basil or a combination)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled if skin is tough, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and diced
• 1 small fresh hot red chili, like Thai, or to taste, minced
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

Heat paprika and cayenne in 8-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, shaking pan, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add rice, and toast, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to second small bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Grind rice with spice grinder, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle until it resembles fine meal, 10 to 30 seconds (you should have about 1 tablespoon rice powder).

If you are starting with raw meat, start a gas or charcoal grill or heat a broiler; rack should be about 4 inches from heat source. Grill or broil beef until medium rare, turning once or twice, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness; set it aside to cool.

Toss greens with herbs, onion and cucumber. In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with 1 tablespoon water and 1/4 tsp. paprika mixture; dressing will be thin. Use half of this mixture to toss with greens. Remove greens to a platter.

Slice beef thinly, reserving its juice; combine juice with remaining dressing and half of the rice powder. Lay slices of beef over salad, drizzle remaining dressing over all, and serve with the rest of the rice powder and paprika.

Serves 4

The New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 European cucumber, peeled if desired and cut in medium dice
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded if desired, cut in thin wedges or diced
• 1 small ripe honeydew melon or cantaloupe, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice or shaped into melon balls
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon mild honey, like clover, or agave nectar
• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil, rice bran oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• Fresh watercress for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Put the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

2. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes and melon together in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, salt to taste, lime juice, honey and oil and toss with the fruit and vegetable mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Just before serving, toss with the herbs. Line plates with watercress if desired. Taste the salad, adjust the seasonings and serve over the watercress.

Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatoes, diced
• 3/4 pound cucumbers (1 European or 4 Persian), diced
• 1 green pepper, preferably a long green Italian frying pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Turkish or Aleppo pepper
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 ounces feta, crumbled (1/4 to 1/2 cup) (optional)
• Black olives as desired (optional)
• Romaine lettuce leaves and pita bread for serving (optional)

Preparation

Combine all of the ingredients except the olives and romaine in a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes toss together, taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with olives and serve, with pita bread and romaine lettuce if desired.

Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 pound bacon slices, chopped
• 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach leaves
• 2 medium-size red apples (such as Red Delicious or Gala), halved, cored, thinly sliced [CP: replace this with Granny Smith]
• 1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, cubed

Preparation

Whisk oil, powdered sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, dry mustard, paprika and ground ginger in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sauté chopped bacon slices in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer chopped bacon to paper towel and drain. Combine baby spinach leaves, apple slices, red onion, avocado and bacon in large bowl. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad among plates and serve.

Bon Appetit, December 2000

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cooked shrimp
• 1/2 lb. frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped celery [or 1 green apple, julienned]
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon
• 1/8 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 oz. chow mein noodles
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preparation

Combine shrimp, peas, celery, and onion and chill.

Mix next five ingredients and chill.

Combine shrimp, sauce, noodles and almonds and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.