Salad

New potatoes are simply young spuds of any variety that haven't converted all their sugar to starch. We like them because they are small enough to be cooked whole and are excellent boiled or pan-roasted.

This is an unusual use for pistou, a Provençal variant of pesto made of basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt. It's normally stirred into simple vegetable soups to give them some oomph, but it brings the same lively savoriness to green beans, contrasting nicely with their buttery quality. Don't worry about being knocked over by raw onions on top of all the other strong flavors-soaking them in cold water for 15 minutes removes some of their pungency while preserving their crunch.

Made in Mexico: This dish, created by food editor Shelley Wiseman's friend Aurelia, will start your day with a cayenne kick. It also doubles as a sweet and spicy dessert.

Lightly blanched squid makes a simple and elegant salad with the tang of fish sauce and fresh lime juice.

Bresaola-a beef lover's prosciutto equivalent-gives this virtually no-cook dish a bright platform with deep flavor.

Traditionally made from cow's or goat's milk and wrapped in chestnut leaves, Banon cheese is named after the town in northern Provence from which it hails. When the leaves are green, the cheese is fresh, mild, and sweet; when the leaves are brown, it is ripe and soft. Either way, it's a great complement to classic mesclun greens. In the spirit of Provence, we encourage you to bypass the ready-made mesclun mix and create your own blend of peppery, sweet, and tender baby lettuces from the array that you can find at the farmers market.

For a more substantial meal, the salad can be served on pumpernickel bread or toasted French bread as an open-face sandwich and topped with slices of hard-boiled egg. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks." Marinating the vegetables gives them a lively pickled flavor.

Improv: Substitute chopped red or yellow bell peppers for the tomatoes in the salad; try basil instead of cilantro in the dressing.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks."
Serve on its own for breakfast or with a scoop of sorbet or ice cream for dessert.

With two hues of cabbage and two kinds of apples, as well as carrots and yams, this multi-colored slaw will look gorgeous on a picnic or buffet table.

All of the ingredients that make gazpacho so yummy — tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and bell peppers — turn up in this main-course salad.

Potatoes in three colors give this salad an all-American look.

Removing the typical cucumber from tabbouleh leaves plenty of room for fresh honeydew or any cool, sweet melon in this summer-inspired departure.

A meat-free carpaccio, this crisp mix of zucchini and arugula gets a boost from olive oil and salty cheese.

This salad is great for picnics. It has all the components of a family favorite: beautiful color, satisfying crunch, and a delicious dressing. The recipe is adapted from one developed by freelance recipe tester Penelope Hoblyn, who often makes the salad for large gatherings.

Hearty soba noodles and tangy feta cheese create a lightning-quick vegetarian dish that even meat eaters will flock to. Served cold or at room temperature, it's just what we want on a warm evening.

We started out with half the amount of corn chips but increased the quantity because we love their addictive crunch in this Southwest-influenced salad.

Asiago frico — easy-to-make crispy cheese wafers — top this salad. Look for tender young spinach at the farmers' market. In some areas, what you find at the farmers' market may be cheaper than what's available at the supermarket. If you have a first-rate extra-virgin olive oil and some sea salt in your cupboard, here's a chance to show them off.