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Apple or pear slices

Citrus sections

Chopped fresh cranberries (super-tart)

Pomegranate seeds

Berries (whole smaller ones; sliced larger ones)

Watermelon (really, give it a shot), in 1-inch chunks

Dried fruit, in small pieces

ADD-ONS

Some ingredients should be cut at the very last minute and added as a garnish. These include:

Avocados (for more on these, see Chapter 8: Party Snacks)

Tomatoes (cherry or larger ones, sliced)

More accoutrements to consider sprinkling on top include:

Grated or crumbled cheese (goat cheese, bleu cheese, feta)

Chopped hard-boiled egg (see Chapter 2: Salads)

Olives

Capers

Crumbled bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks)

Canned tuna (flaked)

Lightly toasted nuts or seeds

Sprouts

Freshly ground black pepper (keep a filled pepper mill at the table)

tossed green salad

EASY ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Your greens are very clean, dry, and cold.

You have figured on approximately ¼ pound—about 2 large handfuls—per person.

Your dressing is made and handy.

Your add-ins and add-ons are ready.

You have a nice big bowl (large enough to toss your salad with abandon and have it stay in the bowl) and salad servers or tongs in front of you.

1. The greens go in the bowl, along with whatever “add-in” items you’ve chosen. Toss gently to combine.

2. Shake or whisk the dressing to reincorporate all the ingredients, which will have separated into layers while it sat around. (If the oil in the dressing has hardened from the cold of the refrigerator, give it a few extra minutes to soften back up again and/or shake or whisk the dressing a bit longer.) Add about 1 tablespoon dressing per serving, tossing it in and mixing the greens from the bottom of the bowl.

3. Taste a sample leaf to see if the salad needs more dressing.

4. Top the bowlful of greens with your chosen “add-ons,” or plate the salads individually and top each serving with them.

5. Serve right away.

NOT-SO-HARD-BOILED EGGS

You may not think you need these instructions, but chances are you do. For many people (even experienced cooks), cooking and peeling hard-boiled eggs can be a real pain. Sometimes (often) the shell just doesn’t want to come off and you end up throwing away half the egg. Here’s a technique that truly works.

Place the eggs in a pot that fits them comfortably, and fill it with enough cold water to completely cover them. Bring it to a boil, and then immediately lower the heat to a simmer. Cook very gently for 1 minute. Then remove the pot from the heat, and let it stand for 15 minutes. Drain, and refresh the eggs—right in the pot—in several changes of cold water, pouring it off each time. Then leave the eggs in the pot, put the lid on, and shake it vigorously like a big percussion instrument, banging the eggs together to crack their shells. Finally, peel the eggs under cold running water. The peel will practically fall off!

the big five: america’s most wanted salad dressings

Make one, some, or all of these on a regular basis. They keep well for weeks—even months—if stored in tightly lidded containers in the refrigerator, where they will take up very little space. And they work well as a sauce on cooked vegetables, meats, and tofu, too.

In any of these recipes, some or all of the olive oil can be a high-quality type, for more intense flavor. At the very least, it should be extra-virgin olive oil.

ABOUT SHALLOTS

Great for salad dressings, shallots look like small pink onions and taste like a lively cross between onion and garlic, slightly sweeter than either. Use a very sharp paring knife and mince them tiny, tiny.

ABOUT HONEY

In general, the lighter the color, the milder the flavor. So unless you want a strong presence, choose light-colored honey. (The lighter ones also tend to be less expensive.)

raspberry-shallot dressing

Makes a generous ½ cup,

enough for 4 to 5 servings of salad

The fruitiness of raspberry vinegar and the sweetness of shallots are a fine match. This versatile vinaigrette