Frisée

Frisée often pops up in salads, but like its cousin escarole, it’s also great for cooking.

Juicy Asian pear and a balsamic reduction play against the bitter edge of frisée—further mellowed by leeks hot from the pan.

After a rich main course, you'll love the clean flavors of this minimally dressed salad. Watercress and fris´e are tamed by slivers of celery root and green apple, which also makes for a seamless segue into the next course—Camembert with apple butter from a local market.

This recipe is a fun alternative to the heavier dishes that tend to make an appearance at Super Bowl parties. A few variations can be made to this salad as well: Make it Buffalo style by tossing the chicken in a little hot sauce just after you've fried it. You can also vary the cheese (by using goat or Feta) and other salad ingredients (like lettuce type) according to taste. Freezing the cheese will make it firmer and much easier to grate.

The gutsy contrast of assertive greens with juicy pears, slivers of Manchego, and toasted pumpkin seeds lets guests know right from the beginning that this meal will be full of personality.

Veal in Switzerland often presupposes sauerkraut, but we prefer a lighter take. With crunchy radishes and bitter frisée, this salad brings its vinegar note in the form of a spicy mustard dressing.

Radishes are in their prime right now. If you can find the small French Breakfast or Easter Egg varieties, just trim them and keep them whole, rather than slicing them. Spring onions, immature onions harvested before their bulbs grow large, are available in farmers' markets at this time of year. If you can't find them, scallions make a fine substitute.

Fennel dressing, bright with lemon juice, coats pleasantly bitter greens with an intriguing hint of licorice.

This mix of greens is a knockout blend of textures, and a short sauté in fruity olive oil mellows their slightly bitter flavor.

Full of fiber-rich garbanzo beans, an Indian staple, this healthy dish from Maneet Chauhan is an ideal side or starter. Add grilled shrimp or chicken to make it a meal. You can use the marinade recipe from our tandoori tilapia with hearts of palm salad .

Taste restaurant is something of an anomaly in Tinseltown: low-key, affordable and friendly; the hostess smiles whether you're wearing Chanel or Old Navy. It's no wonder that stars such as Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair like to dine here. This salad, from chef Cathy Halter, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce heart disease risk.

This update on a classic terrine is made with an aromatic broth and olive oil instead of cream. If you're short on time, don't bother with the leek lining—though it is pretty, the terrine works fine without it.

These toasts are also delicious without the foie gras or with a slice of country pâté substituted for the foie gras.

Preparing the zucchini for this dish won't heat up your kitchen — simply salting thin slices is enough to tenderize them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Note that part of the honey-mustard sauce is also used as the marinade.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.