Salad for Dinner: Simple Recipes for Salads that Make a Meal

Usually relegated to a chapter in most cookbooks, salads come front and center in this appealing guide. Chez Panisse alum and food writer (Bon Appetit; Food and Wine) De Serio offers 100 new ways to make fresh, healthy main meals built on plant-based ingredients. De Serio starts with the basics—key ingredients and techniques for throwing together a salad on the fly, such as toasting nuts, making croutons and washing greens. The chapters focus on salad types—“Leafy”; “Vegetable and Fruit”; “Grain, Bread and Pasta”; and “Legumes.” Throughout, De Serio’s recipes showcase a playful mix of colors, flavors, and textures, from escarole with apple, celery, roquefort, and pecans to a succotash salad. While lighter eaters might gravitate toward delicate dishes such as herb salad with beets, oranges, and almonds, her warm salads like cauliflower with brown butter vinaigrette, sieved egg and toasted breadcrumbs, and cabbage with mustard vinaigrette and bacon lardons are heartier concoctions. Meat and seafood appear on many recipes, but there are plenty of options for vegetarians. A valuable resource for home cooks looking for ways to liven up their repertoire. Photos. (Mar.)