Salad

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You can use leftover roast chicken too.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Set bowls of mixed nuts around the backyard, and serve the salad with glasses of chilled Beaujolais wine.

Yam Som O Pummelo is an unusual Southeast Asian citrus fruit that is available here in the winter months. It has a very thick skin that ranges in color from pale yellow to dark green. Its flavor is similar to grapefruit's but is sweeter and less bitter, which makes it a great balance for the heat of chiles. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This salad is prepared in the French style known as à la grecque, in which vegetables are cooked in a lemon and olive-oil marinade (often infused with coriander and pepper) and then served cold. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

At the restaurant, this spectacular starter also has a tomato confit vinaigrette. Here, we've substituted chopped seeded peeled tomatoes to simplify the recipe.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When making this salad, which is lightly spiked with jalapeño pepper, have all the ingredients prepared ahead. Then just toss them together as close to serving time as possible to keep the flavors fresh.

Salatat Baqduness wa Bassal This salad is common throughout the eastern and southern Mediterranean from Turkey to Egypt. It is always laid on the bread on which grilled meat and poultry are served. In Turkey the salad is seasoned with only sumac; in Egypt, with lemon juice; and in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel it is seasoned with both. A chef friend of mine, Sami Tamimi, whose recipe this is, taught me to soak the sliced onions in boiling water for a few minutes before using. This softens them slightly and, more significantly, takes away some of the sharpness. Be sure to dry the onions well before adding the seasonings.

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