Salad

This salad was inspired by one we had in Rome that was made with Stracchino cheese, but we've used mascarpone, which makes an admirable and accessible substitute. (Stracchino, a springtime cheese, is difficult to find here, even in season.) Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

For a prettier salad, we used two varieties of radicchio — the common Verona, with red leaves and white ribs, and Treviso, which can range from pink to red and has narrower, pointed leaves.

Bottled vinaigrette adds a tangy twist to the chicken. This stylish dish goes well with couscous. Molasses cookies and vanilla ice cream sprinkled with chopped crystallized ginger would be a lovely finish.

Use canned beets to cut the preparation time of this colorful salad.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Vanilla-Bean Cheesecake with Guava Topping .

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Packaged tabbouleh mixes, available at most supermarkets, are a good source of the fine bulgur recommended in this recipe, but don't use the accompanying seasoning pouch if one is included. Bulgur - wheat berries that have been steamed, dried, and then cracked - is also found in natural foods stores. Although this salad is wonderful with standard supermarket lentils and a coarser grind of bulgur, the French lentils and fine bulgur produce a delicate, more refined version.

A refreshing starter from Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine.

Adding moisture and flavor without fat is achieved in the beet and Asian pear salad: Its oil-free dressing is made with mustard, lemon juice, and apple jelly (substituting apricot preserves for the jelly works well in other salads, especially those using bitter greens).