I first had this salad years ago in a dinner group I was part of. It was an amazing start to a great meal. The salad is both beautiful and delicious, with a variety of flavors and textures: sweet and juicy tropical mango (or papaya), crisp tender green beans, salty feta, dry roasted pistachios, and a tangy, easy-to-make apricot vinaigrette. 

The vinaigrette dressing is good as is but sometimes I add a little olive oil, a small clove of garlic and some freshly cracked pepper when pureeing the mixture in the blender. These additions add another layer of flavor to the dressing. Play with it and see what you like best. I use Kerr’s apricot nectar because I’ve never been able to find apricot-pineapple.

The recipe calls for papaya but I prefer to use mangoes. You’ll need about 4 large, ripe mangoes. Here’s some helpful tips on how to cut a mango.

Everything can be made/prepped ahead of time but don’t toss the greens with the vinaigrette and assemble the salad until you’re ready to serve it (otherwise you’ll end up with wilted greens). Enjoy!

Green Bean Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

There is no oil in this most original salad. Serves 6.

1 11 1/2-ounce can apricot-pineapple nectar (or apricot nectar)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots (about 1 ounce)

1 1/4 pounds slender green beans, trimmed

1 5-ounce package mixed baby greens

1 papaya, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons chopped unsalted dry roasted pistachios
1 1/2 ounces ricotta salata* or feta cheese, crumbled

*Available at cheese shops, some Italian markets and some specialty foods stores.

Boil nectar in medium saucepan until reduced to scant * cup, about 5 minutes. Mix in vinegar and apricots. Let stand until apricots soften, about 15 minutes. Puree mixture in blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.

Cook green beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Cool in large bowl of ice water. Drain again. Pat beans dry with paper towels. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap green beans in paper towels. Cover vinaigrette and green beans separately and refrigerate.)

Place beans in large bowl. Add 6 tablespoons vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, toss mixed greens with enough remaining vinaigrette to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mound mixed greens in center of 6 plates. Surround with papaya slices. Arrange beans atop mixed greens. Sprinkle with pistachios and ricotta salata or feta.

Tags: apricot vinaigrette, baby shower entertaining, baby shower food, bridal shower entertaining, bridal shower food, green bean salad, green bean salad with apricot vinaigrette, green beans, mango, mango.org, papaya, Spring entertaining, spring salad, summer entertaining, summer salad

If you like beets you’re going to LOVE this salad: Earthy steamed beets tossed with a simple vinaigrette, tangy pickled red onions, salty feta, and fresh parsley…AWESOME! It’s definitely a restaurant-quality salad (actually better than most beet salads I’ve had in restaurants)! My beet-loving dad remarked after tasting it, “Now THIS is a beet salad!” That’s high praise indeed!

You could substitute goat cheese or blue cheese for the feta if you like. Enjoy!

Bi-Rite Market’s Beet Salad
with Pickled Onions and Feta
-from Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food

This hearty salad is a near-constant in our deli case and a favorite among guests and staff. Although the beets are the star of the show, the pickled onions play an important role, adding textural interest and a vinegary punch. At the store, we cook the beets by baking them whole, in a deep roasting pan with 1″ of water. For a small, at-home quantity, I suggest streaming. It’s faster because steam gets hotter than boiling water (which maxes out at 212°F) and uses less energy than turning on the oven. However, if you prefer to roast or boil your beets, feel free —the results will be just as tasty. -Bi-Rite Market

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds (about 5 medium) beets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Combine the onion, vinegar, and a couple of pinches of salt in a small bowl and set aside.

If using baby beets, leave the skin on but halve or quarter them as needed so that they’re all about 1 inch thick. If using medium or large beets, peel and cut into 1-inch chunks.

Fit a steamer basket in a large pot, add water just to the bottom of the basket, and arrange the beets in a snug single layer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook until the beets are completely tender when pierced with a skewer, about 30 minutes. (Keep an eye on the water level during cooking, and add more if it threatens to dry up.) Remove from the heat and let cool. If you’re using baby beets, slip the skins off as soon as they’re cool enough to handle.

Reserving the liquid, remove the onion from the vinegar and add to the beets. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, honey, 1 tablespoon of the reserved vinegar, and a few big pinches of salt.

Add the dressing, the parsley, and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta to the beets. Toss well and taste; season with more salt or vinegar as needed. Garnish with a sprinkling of the remaining feta on top.

Note: The beautiful hue of beets will stain your hands and clothes. Wear gloves and an apron if pink isn’t your color!

Tip: Use any color beets you have available; if you choose to use both golden and red beets, toss them with the dressing separately to keep the red beets from staining the yellow ones.

Tags: beet salad, beets, Bi-Rite Market, pickled onions, summer salad

This light and refreshing salad is perfect for Mother’s Day, or a light lunch or dinner. Because the flavors are so simple, fresh crab (not canned) is best in this recipe and definitely worth the splurge! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled (or more) making it perfect for Spring and Summer entertaining. Serve with crusty artisan bread from a local bakery. Enjoy!

Crab & Avocado Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Serves four as a first course; two for lunch.
 
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
8 oz. crabmeat, preferably lump, picked over to remove bits of shell
1/2 cup finely chopped celery from the inner ribs and leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (1/2-inch pieces)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, washed (for lining the plates)

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium bowl, mix the crabmeat, celery, and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Fold in the dressing gently so as not to break up the crabmeat. Gently fold in the avocado. Taste for salt and pepper. Line four salad plates with lettuce leaves, heap a scoop of the crab salad on each, and garnish with the remaining chives. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and serve.

Tags: avocado, avocado salad, baby shower, bridal shower, crab, crab and avocado salad, crab salad, entertaining recipes, Fine Cooking Magazine, Mother's Day, spring, Spring entertaining, Summer, summer entertaining, summer salad

This simple summery salad is packed with fiber and flavor, and was the perfect lunch on a recent picnic at the beach. I especially love the texture of the chewy wheat berries. It’s also a versatile salad that you can build on — Feta or goat cheese would be great additions, as well as green or Kalamata olives.

I used fresh red pepper instead of roasted, and some mini heirloom tomatoes that I got at Trader Joe’s. Since I was using fresh basil in the salad, I went with lemon juice in the vinaigrette (instead of lime juice). I served the salad on a mixture of arugula and spinach…yum!

Summer Wheat Berry Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

Wheat berries have a delicious nutty flavor. Look for ones labeled “soft,” which will cook more quickly than the hard variety. Serves six.

1 cup soft wheat berries  
6 cups water (or vegetable or chicken stock) with 1/2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf 
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
2 Tbs. capers, drained and chopped 
3 Tbs. sliced scallion (white and green parts)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or cilantro

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 to 1 tsp. finely minced garlic
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. white-wine vinegar 
1/4 cup fruity olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the garnish:
Young greens such as arugula, red mustard, cress, mizuna, or a mix

In a heavy saucepan with a lid, combine the wheat berries, water or stock, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer partially covered until the wheat berries are pleasantly chewy, which may take anywhere from 50 to 90 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and let the berries cool in the liquid. When cool, drain off all the liquid and put the berries into a large mixing bowl. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, roasted pepper, capers, scallion, almonds, and basil or cilantro.

Whisk together the garlic, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss with the salad. Arrange the greens on chilled plates and top with the salad.

Tags: Fine Cooking Magazine, picnic, Side Dish, summer salad, summer side dish, Summer Wheat Berry Salad, Trader Joe's, wheat berry, wheatberry