Collard Parsley Salad

Ghugni refers to a preparation with black chickpeas, as a snack or a curry. Here, as a salad, it makes a wonderful little starter or snack.

In the winter particularly, I like to enjoy salads made with bitter greens like radicchio, or endive particularly when they are balanced with something sweet like maple syrup, oranges, or pomegranates. I add serrano to this salad because particularly during colder months, our bodies need foods that produce heat to maintain strong digestion.

A simple & quick broccoli preparation with a unique presentation.

Here, a simple roasted composed beet chaat gets the crowning glory of chaat masala however, most salads are good candidates for a sprinkle of chaat masala.

India is a land of snacks — from crunchy, addictive, savory, nut-filled chevdas to tingly, glorious street foods such as chaats. Some of the snacks can be transformed into cold salads — and this summer, I am on a path of discovery. I ate a warm sundal, a traditional South Indian salad made with chickpeas, coconut and mild spices once in a restaurant in New Delhi, and the memory has haunted me ever since. Sundal can be served warm, cold or at room temperature, and it makes for the most satisfying midday or late-night snack. Staying true to my tradition of turning most foods into carriers for vegetables, here I threw in tiny local ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes and purple cabbage — but feel free to add diced cherry or large heirloom tomatoes.

A bean salad tucked away in the refrigerator has made for a wonderful late-night snack after busy nights at the restaurant, especially during the holiday season. Over the last few months, I’ve experimented with umpteen combinations, none of which I have stuck to. I always start with soaking one cup of beans overnight (this cuts the cooking time in half), cooking them to softness the next day and adding a changing assortment of vegetables, herbs, nuts, or dry fruits. I’ve embellished some with roasted carrots, others with steamed asparagus, peanuts, walnuts, cilantro, mint and much more. In the last few weeks, I finally arrived at a combination that I have made for three 3 weeks straight and one I am excited to share with you. Raw purple cabbage, celery and beans make the base of this salad, and one can go in so many directions with it. It makes a great light lunch on its own or pairs it with a sandwich or soup. The best part is that cabbage and celery taste better wilted and after they’ve marinated in the juices for an hour or two. The salad tastes delicious for up to three days so use it for a healthy late-night snack.

In the winter dried figs soaked in rum or bourbon make for a great addition to a salad.

For almost two decades, I had given up iceberg lettuce mainly due to its low nutritional benefits compared to other lettuces. Now, I add a little bit of iceberg to many of my salads and the crunch is pretty glorious.

Warm goat cheese is delicious enough on it’s own but when mixed with spices and seasonings it’s even better!

This spicy and bright green bean salad is delicious hot or cold.

Wilted kale, crunchy lettuce and the tasty bite of cumin seeds make this salad extra special

This salad is good on its own and also makes an awesome side dish for grilled or roasted meats.

Jicama is delicious raw and lends itself well to Indian chaat style street preparations.

This salad is inspired by the multitude of dal recipes from India; however, it can be eaten cold or at room temperature.

Here is a composed salad made entirely from the spoils of Messina Regenerative's farm stand from the Urban Harvest Farmers Market. Substitute to your hearts pleasure but don’t skip the pan roasted alliums as they lend tremendous depth to the salad.

This is a simple ‘anti-pasti’ style salad that can be eaten by itself, on toast for breakfast or added to an omelet.

If you are lucky enough to snag the incredible feta cheese from Blue Heron farms, you will have yourself an amazing salad!

In my kitchen, there is no wrong way to cook chickpeas. What I love about this preparation is that it can be made ahead of time and tastes good at room temperature or cold.

Last weekend, about to leave town for a long trip, I was staring down into my fridge, where lay 2 perfect tomatoes from Lightsey Farms and a few black plums I had picked up at the grocery store. Houston Dairymaids, the wonderful cheese shop out on the east side had sent us a big tub of Pure Luck chèvre, a bit of which was sitting in my refrigerator. I turned it all into a salad with a quick goat cheese and yogurt spread and there, a new dish was born!

The first time I tasted potato salad was in the late ’80s at an engineer’s potluck dinner in a remote Canadian city. I was fascinated by the unabashed baby-foodlike consistency of the mayo and sour cream flavors. Not a fan of cold potatoes, over the years I made it a few times and eventually gave up. Last week, as my team at the restaurant urged me to come up with my own version of potato salad, I experimented with an entirely new idea, and it turned out almost good enough to be a main course. Roasted fingerling potatoes with a creamy yogurt, ginger and tahini sauce drizzle, a spice pop and fresh herbs on top. I love this version, look forward to making it again, and I hope you do, too.

Crisp, chilled, thinly sliced zucchini and cucumbers spread on a plate, topped with aromatic herbs, toasted walnuts, tiny chunks of aged cheese, and a simple vinaigrette.

In my book, what all salads must possess is varying qualities of fresh, warm, crunchy, sweet, creamy, tart and spicy, and then they can pass off as a lazy but satisfying dinner. Use this as a guide to create your own.

The corn, celery and the beans only take on more flavor as they rest in the refrigerator, ready to turn into lunch, dinner or a small snack. Add a minced serrano to give it some heat.

Here is a supremely simple truly local salad made with grilled or roasted peaches, shiitake mushrooms and cucumbers.

Enjoy it as a light lunch or serve it as a last course in lieu of dessert.

This is as simple as a salad goes but it will stay crunchy in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 hours.

The keys in making this salad is first, finding a shallow bowl that will fit the entire head of lettuce and next, to keep the shape of the lettuce head as intact as possible while making the salad.

I have now made this salad at home repeatedly, with different combinations. Just like mine, I hope this becomes a refrigerator fixture in your home.

Many months ago, while trying to make tofu for a quick meal, I stuck it in the oven just lightly drizzled with toasted sesame oil and almost forgot about it for just under an hour. However, what emerged was a delicious concentration of flavors, and one I devoured with a simple sauce drizzled over it.

This is the simplest salad ever, but it epitomizes the glory of summer vegetables.

No recipe needed, just follow your senses. I hope you get the picture.

The weather in Texas is crying out for watermelon salads. Every summer, I rediscover watermelon, gorge on it in every way and fall in love with it all over again. Here is a composed salad with watermelon and other summer produce.