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Rub the bruised garlic all over the surface of a large salad bowl. Leave the garlic in the bowl. Add the bread cubes. Sprinkle the bread with ¼ cup ice water, a tablespoon at a time, tossing after each addition. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup water to add later, if needed. (If the tomatoes are especially juicy, you may not need to add more water.)

With the tip of a paring knife, cut the stem ends from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch slices. Stack the slices and cut into ½-inch cubes. Add the tomatoes to the salad bowl, along with the onion, basil, a generous sprinkling of salt and a grinding of black pepper. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over the mixture. Toss to blend. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, oil and/or vinegar, if needed. If the salad seems dry, add the remaining ¼ cup ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

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Make a Meal

Serve with Warm Green Bean and Red Onion Salad with Mint (see Variations, [>]) and corn on the cob Mexican-style ([>]) or plain with olive oil and a sprinkling of coarse salt.

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CABBAGE, PINEAPPLE AND PEANUT SALAD Vegan

Full of crunch, heat and bright fresh flavors, this salad is a favorite. I even like leftovers the next day when the cabbage has lost some of its crunch.

Prep Time: About 15 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

12 ounces green or savoy cabbage, cored and sliced thin (about 4 cups)

½ pineapple, halved lengthwise, cored, skin cut away and fruit coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)

½ cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

1 jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch crosswise slices

Dressing

3 tablespoons mild-flavored olive oil or other vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, grated

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Combine the cabbage, pineapple, peanuts and jalapeño in a large bowl.

To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, ginger, garlic and salt until blended. Add the dressing to the cabbage and toss to blend. Add the cilantro, if using. Serve at room temperature.

Shortcuts

Use a food processor fitted with the slicing blade to make quick work of the cabbage. Chop the pineapple with the chopping blade of the food processor.

Substitutions

Omit the peanuts and substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.

Replace the head cabbage with bagged sliced cabbage crisped in ice water for 10 minutes.

In a pinch, use chunks of unsweetened canned pineapple instead of the fresh.

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Make a Meal

Serve with Red Rice Salad with Edamame, Tamari Walnuts and Ginger ([>]).

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CURRIED QUINOA AND APPLE SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES Vegan

This salad is heady with the aroma of toasted curry and crunchy with quinoa, raw apple and walnuts.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

1 cup quinoa

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste

2½ teaspoons Madras curry powder Coarse salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

1 cup chopped peeled crisp apple, such as Fuji, Granny Smith or Pink Lady

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons thin-sliced scallions (green parts only)

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for at least 45 seconds. Shake in the strainer to remove as much water as possible.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the quinoa is light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and appears to be uncoiling, 18 to 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, until cool.

Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the lemon juice in a large bowl until blended. Add the cooled quinoa, apple, walnuts, cranberries and