Salad

"One evening my husband took me to a marvelous restaurant, Al Biernat's, in nearby Dallas," says Janice E. Bryant of Irving, Texas."I had an innovative salad—greens tossed with grilled pear slices, walnuts, blue cheese and a terrific vinaigrette."

"While visiting my sister in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, we had a delightful dinner at the Mountain Town Station Brewing Company and Steakhouse," writes Marge Frazier of Houston, Texas. "The salad with greens, fruits, and nuts was amazing. Plus it had a creamy maple dressing that was delicious."

This recipe is an accompaniment for Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Ginger Mignonnette .

This salad was inspired by a couple of dishes our food editors encountered at restaurants in Rome.

In a traditional Seder meal, bitter herbs — sometimes including parsley — represent the bitter experience of slavery. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

(Amanida amb Epàrrec i Pernil) A Catalan composed salad, or amanida, may be made of almost anything, though ham, sausage, or anchovies are often included. Traditionally, the ingredients are added to the final presentation individually rather than mixed together. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Use a sharp vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan cheese into long strips.

A grill pan is just the thing for cooking the chicken and zucchini in this recipe.

The salad can remain at room temperature up to two hours before serving.

This lovely side can be made a day ahead.

Foster's variation on a simple Tuscan classic might be considered heresy to purists, but our customers are crazy about the addition of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. It's a great dish for summer buffets. The salad can be made a day in advance; serve it lightly chilled or at room temperature.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

This pretty salad would be great alongside grilled sausages, chicken, or burgers.