Salad

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(MIXED SALAD)

At her restaurant, Lynch includes black truffle in the vinaigrette for this salad, but it's so flavorful as it is that we didn't feel the truffle was necessary.

For crunchy greens (escarole and romaine), try this all-purpose dressing.

Rather than making herbs part of a green salad, why not make these fresh, flavorful greens the salad. The idea comes from Paris chef Alain Passard, who years ago served me an all-tarragon salad at his Left Bank restaurant, Arpège. When tarragon is fresh in the market or your garden overflows with this extraordinarily powerful herb, why not serve it with honor as a salad on its own? Years later Passard expanded what I call "the tarragon tangle" to a full-scale mixed herb salad—just a few well-dressed bites on a small salad plate—as an accompaniment. The idea really is to mix and match judiciously. Just don't use so many herbs that they lose their personality. Good combinations include parsley, mint, and tarragon. Or consider an all-mint salad to accompany grilled lamb, an all-tarragon salad to accompany grilled chicken, a sage-heavy salad to accompany roast pork. Other herbs that can be added to the following salad mix include a very judicious addition of hyssop, sage, chervil, and marjoram. Just be sure to include leaves only—no cheating—leaving all stems behind!

Zucchini and dill add a fresh twist to the classic, which is a winner served with other summer classics, like sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers and barbecued chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Try preparing this salad for casual luncheons.

This recipe originally accompanied Goat Cheese Soufflé and Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette .

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Migas is the name of a popular Spanish starter of breadcrumbs fried with ham; it's typically served with fried eggs. Here, migas becomes a crouton topping for the salad.