Avocado

(Sushi Rice Salad with Avocado, Cucumber, and Scallions) Sushi fans will recognize this salad as a California roll unrolled. For those who want to include one of the classic ingredients, surimi (also known as mock crab legs), we've given an amount, but the salad is also delicious without it.

A lovely array of textures and flavors. Very nice with skewers of grilled scallops or panfried salmon fillets.

For a heartier sandwich, coarsely chopped avocado can be stirred into the yogurt.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Dr. James Henry Salisbury might have been the first of the protein-diet doctors, proclaiming in 1888 that humankind's maladies were caused by too much starchy food. His solution? Chopped lean meat, or hamburger steak. To hide the "liver-y" taste of hamburger, he recommended adding horseradish, mustard or Worcestershire sauce. By the 1900s, Salisbury steak was a staple menu item, often served with mushroom gravy or smothered in onions. This version, inspired by today’s southwestern cooking, has terrific flavor.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink ="14220">Grilled Shellfish and Potato Salad with Avacado Salsa, Scallion Oil, and Plum Coulis</epi:recipeLink>.<P> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Begin the meal with this crisp and colorful salad. Jicama, avocado and red onion take it beyond the ordinary.

A growing interest in Middle Eastern food, spurred most likely by the vegetarian movement, brought tabbouleh to the attention of many Americans. It was often served as a side dish at health food restaurants.

Can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 10 min

Be sure to chop the lettuce into small pieces so that it's easy to eat when serving buffet-style. My homemade Ranch Dressing complements all of the flavors. To keep down the calories in the dressing, I use nonfat yogurt. The taste is in no way affected.

A new version of the crab classic, this shrimp salad is great for lunch or dinner. Serve it with artisanal breads like walnut, olive or roasted garlic; then complete the meal with angel food cake, whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For an even more elegant presentation, make a design in or swirl the two soups.