Salad

For this colorful and festive starter, be sure to grate the peel from the tangerines before cutting off the rind and slicing them into rounds.

The technique: When cooked at a high heat, some vegetables take on a deep, nutty flavor and golden brown color. In this recipe, the sugars in the pomegranate molasses enhance the caramelization process.
The payoff: Caramelized vegetables have that addictive sweet-savory taste and a lovely sheen.

Because the mushrooms aren't cooked, it's important to use very fresh cèpes in this salad. When shopping, look for firm mushrooms with no dark brown spots.

The shredding disc on the food processor makes quick work of grating the beets and carrots. For a pretty presentation, spoon the salad onto a bed of beet greens, spinach, or arugula. Serve with burgers or fish.

To make the sourdough croutons, toss 3 1/2 cups 1-inch cubes crustless sourdough bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the bread cubes on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Bulgur can be found at natural foods stores.

This apple's crisp flesh doesn't brown as quickly as other kinds, so it's ideal chopped in salads.

The addition of 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows is popular with children.

Quick preserved lemon (it cooks for ten minutes) adds a fresh hit of flavor to this warm salad.

Although herb salad mix tastes especially good here and makes for speedy assembly, feel free to use any type of flavorful salad mix you like.

MOROCCAN COOKS USUALLY MAKE this tasty salad with Swiss chard, but I have seen it also with beet leaves. Eaten all year round, it is prepared by Moroccans on Rosh Hashanah for their Sephardic Seder, when they say a series of blessings over squash, leeks, dates, pomegranates, black-eyed peas, apples, the head of a fish or a lamb, and Swiss chard and beet greens.

Chef Max Mackissock of The Squeaky Bean in Denver takes a back-to-nature approach to ingredients: He uses produce straight from the garden at his restaurant or the farmers’ market the eatery hosts weekly. With veggies like that, who needs meat? This tasty vegan dish has plenty of protein, plus healthy carbs, thanks to whole-grain, fiber-rich farro.

Hari Pulapaka, chef and owner of Cress Restaurant in DeLand, Florida, scored a spot at a local community garden to sprout his organic produce for vitamin-packed salads like this one. The homemade dressing he created stays fresh in the fridge for a week.

Brussels sprouts aren't the first ingredient anybody thinks of when they think of Italian food, but this salad takes a basic equation from the Italian kitchen—fresh vegetables, olive oil, and a little bit of Italian cheese—and makes the sprouts work in the context of the cuisine. It's also a healthier, fresher salad for the winter months.

This no-cook salad is a refreshing (and lovely) way to use up lots of zucchini—and also impress your dinner guests. A vegetable peeler makes it easy to create the zucchini ribbons.

The season's best beans shine in this salad. Shaved pecorino fresco—a mild, fresh sheep's-milk cheese—is a delicious finishing touch.

This slaw is perfect as a side dish or added to a pulled-pork sandwich.