A couple of weeks ago we were making plans to a host dinner for a large group, and I got inspired to come up with a couple of new salads to add to our regular lineup. I sat down, started thinking, and before you knew it, I had come up with recipes for two brand new salads. And with a bonus — not only did they use up some of the contents of our pantry, they added only a few items to the shopping list! 

One reason for creating these salads was simply because I wanted some new vegan dishes for our table. The main course is often preceded by a few salads, and everyone helps themselves to whatever they want. But we were having more guests than usual, including a vegetarian and a couple of vegans, and I really wanted there to be more options than usual. So you should know that each of these new salad recipes is actually a complete meal in and of itself. I very much appreciated that the leftovers served well for that purpose. 

Here’s what I came up with: The first salad, which I named Arugula-Cherry Salad, is a particularly festive dish. A riot of flavor, texture, color. Loads of color in the form of green (leaves, artichokes, pumpkin seeds) and red (cherries, onions), with black (olives) and yellow (chickpeas). There’s crunchy (pumpkin seeds), salty (olives), sweet (cherries), umami (olives), bitter (arugula), acidic bite (red onion).

Salad number two is my riff on potato salad, and was inspired first by the extravagant use of fresh herbs in Persian cuisine that I learned from Samin Nosrat, and second by the fact that dill is my daughter’s favorite herb. So instead of including dill in its usual complementary spot in American cuisine, I gave it a leading role. Also, instead of mixing in spinach and allowing it to wilt, I kept the spinach fresh and textured by laying it on top at the last minute. 

I hope you enjoy these new recipes. Many of the ingredients can be purchased in a ready-to-use form at the grocery store, which should improve your ease of preparation considerably.

Arugula-Cherry Salad
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup tart cherries, dried
1/4 cup dehydrated black olives
1/4 red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed well
12 oz. jar artichoke hearts, marinated and quartered with juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 generous handfuls of arugula, rinsed well and dried

Mix together the pumpkin seeds, cherries, olives, red onion, and chickpeas in a large serving bowl. Empty the contents of the jar of artichoke hearts into the bowl, and add the olive oil. Mix well, and set aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour until ready to serve. Add the arugula just prior to serving, and mix gently. Serves 3-4 as a main course, or 6-8 as a side. 

Potato-Dill Salad
15 oz. can small white beans (such as cannellini), rinsed well
One large bunch of dill (1/2-3/4 cup), rinsed well, shaken dry, and chopped fine
3 cups of cubed potatoes, in small-med cubes
2 large handfuls of baby spinach, rinsed well and dried
1/4 cup French vinaigrette dressing:
1 shallot or small onion, chopped fine (approx 1-2 Tbsp)
large pinch of herbs (your choice of thyme, oregano, chives, marjoram)
1/2 tsp. salt
     1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Chop the shallot or onion, and add to a jar with vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, pepper, and herbs. Shake well and set aside 10-15 minutes. Add olive oil, shake again, and set aside at room temperature.

Salt a pot of water generously, add the potatoes, and cook on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes (beginning once the water boils) until the potatoes are soft but not mushy. Remove potatoes from the water, and place in a large bowl. Add the white beans along with one-half of the salad dressing. Stir gently so the potatoes and beans remain intact. Set aside and allow to cool a bit while you prepare the greens and herbs.

Chop up the dill, add it to the bowl, and fold into the potatoes. Sprinkle with more vinaigrette to taste. Place the spinach on top, and serve warm or at room temperature. Serve by pushing the tongs deep into the bottom of the bowl to grab leaves, potatoes, beans, and plenty of dill! Serves 8 as a side dish.