Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate. Pour off all but a film of the grease on the bottom of the pan. (Just eyeball it instead of trying to measure, but it should be just about ½ teaspoon; discard the remaining grease.)

To make the salad, return the skillet to low heat. Add the onion and the diced apple. Season with salt and pepper. Add the kale; cook until the kale begins to wilt, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar; cover, and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to broil. Place the finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Roll the goat cheese log in the pecans to evenly coat. Refrigerate until firm if necessary, then cut evenly into 6 rounds and place each round of cheese on the sliced apple. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

To serve, divide the kale salad among the plates. Top with an apple-cheese round and garnish with the reserved bacon. Serve immediately.

Calories 255

Fat 16 g

Carbs 18 g

Fiber 4 g

Protein 14 g

CURRIED SHRIMP SALAD
WITH AVOCADO AND ORANGE

SERVES 6

Curry makes me think of Indian cooking, but as a born and bred Southerner, it also brings to mind Junior League cookbooks and ladies who lunch. When I was a child, curry was still pretty exotic stuff and considered very “gourmet.” Of course, when the ladies were dressing up dishes for company they would pull out the dusty bottle of curry powder.

On that note, my grandmother kept and mother still keeps all their spices in the freezer in order to retard their spoilage. However, sometimes those spices stayed around a little too long. Here’s a helpful hint: The only spice McCormick’s sells in the red and white tin is ground black pepper. If you have a tin of McCormick’s spices that is anything other than black pepper, that tin was packaged before 1985.

Many seafood counters offer steamed shrimp and if you’ve had success with that, it’s certainly a time-saver. However, sometimes they can be overcooked, which makes the shrimp dry, rubbery, and tough. The method in this recipe will ensure tender, flavorful shrimp, and the cooling technique I use to chill the cooked shrimp enhances its flavor instead of rinsing it away.

1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion

¼ cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

1½ teaspoons curry powder (preferably Madras)

1 pound Boiled and Chilled Shrimp

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Grated zest of 2 oranges (either navel or blood orange), with fruit set aside

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 avocado, seeded, and chopped (see note on How to Cut an Avocado)

1 (5-ounce) container arugula

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the onion in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high just until the onion is tender, about 25 seconds. (Alternatively, you could sweat the onions in a small skillet with a mist of nonstick cooking spray, but one way or the other you want to cook the onions.) Let it cool slightly, then add the mayonnaise, celery, and curry powder. Stir to combine. Add the shrimp, parsley, mint, and grated orange zest. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Have a small bowl at hand. To section the oranges, using a sharp knife and a cutting board, slice off the tops and bottoms of the oranges so they will stand upright. For each orange, set the fruit upright on the board. Working from top to bottom, slice off the peel, white pith, and outer membranes from the orange to expose the segments. Carefully cut each segment away from its membranes and put in the bowl along with any juice. Squeeze any remaining juice from the membranes into the bowl, and then discard them.

To assemble, combine the avocado, orange segments, and arugula in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine and coat. Pile the salad among 6 plates and top with a heaping spoonful of the curried shrimp. Serve immediately.

BOILED AND CHILLED SHRIMP

MAKES 1 POUND

12 cups water

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

1 lemon, halved

½ sweet onion

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

1 pound unshelled medium shrimp (26/30 count)

Have ready a frozen freezer pack sealed in a heavy-duty plastic bag or a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag filled with ice cubes.

To poach the shrimp, combine the water, carrot, celery, lemon, onion, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to make a flavorful court-bouillon.

Meanwhile, make an ice bath to cool the shrimp: transfer several cups (or more, depending on the quantity of shrimp) of the broth to a large heatproof bowl. Place the ice pack in the bowl of broth; move the pack around until the broth is well chilled (drain and add more ice to the bag if needed).

Return the heat to high and bring the court-bouillon to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp and boil until the shells are pink and the meat is white, about 1 minute. Do not overcook. Drain the shrimp in a colander or remove with a slotted spoon, then immediately transfer to the chilled liquid in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Peel and devein the shrimp.

HOW TO CUT AN AVOCADO

Grip the avocado with one hand. Using a chef’s knife in the other hand, cut the avocado lengthwise completely around the seed. Twist to open the two halves to expose the pit. For safety, fold up a kitchen towel and use that to hold the avocado half with the pit. Gently tap the pit with a knife with enough force so that the blade of the knife wedges into the pit. Then, twist the pit out of the avocado and discard. (Mama often gets a seedling started by suspending the seed over water with toothpicks.) Using a small paring knife, make cuts in the avocado flesh in a crosshatch pattern, careful not to break through the avocado peel. Then, use a spoon to easily scoop out the avocado pieces.

Asparagus and Baby Vidalia Onion Salad with Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette

ASPARAGUS and BABY VIDALIA ONION SALAD
WITH LEMON-TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

SERVES 4

This salad absolutely sings spring. Asparagus has not traditionally been a Deep South crop, certainly not on a large scale. It requires a cold winter so that the plants can go dormant. The first time I saw asparagus growing was while visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. I was shocked to see it comes straight up out of the earth, one spear at a time, just like someone stuck them in like darts in a dartboard.

Vidalia onions on the other hand, are a very common sight in the South—and one of my absolute favorite ingredients. Increasingly, in the spring you can find baby Vidalia onions, harvested before they reach maturity and essentially overgrown green onions. If you cannot find baby Vidalias, you may substitute green onions.

1½ pounds medium asparagus, trimmed

4 baby Vidalia onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 English cucumber, partially peeled in strips, seeded, and cubed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, chives, and mint)

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

Prepare an ice-water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Line a plate with paper towels.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes. Without draining, add the onions and cook until both vegetables are tender, an additional 30 or 45 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, and oil. Set aside. Drain the asparagus and onions well in a colander, then set the colander with the asparagus and onions in the ice-water bath (to set the color and stop the cooking), making sure the asparagus is submerged. Once chilled, remove the asparagus and onions to the prepared plate. Pat dry and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cucumbers and herbs. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat and combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

PUCKER UP!

Pack a lemon in your lunchbox. Use it to dress a salad, squeeze some into a glass of water instead of soda, enjoy it with some herbal tea, or even punch up leftovers with a pop of acid instead of salt.

FIELD PEA and BEAN SALAD
WITH TOMATO-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

MAKES 6 CUPS TO SERVE 6

This vibrant salad is best at the peak of summer when the vegetables are the best. When a Southerner hears the word “peas,” they think of field or black-eyed peas, not English peas. Field peas come in a huge array of pod and seed color, size, shape, and flavor. Common types of field peas are crowders, creams, black-eyes, pink-eyes, purple hulls, and silver skins.

Here I’ve paired peas and butter beans with snap beans for a summer salad absolutely bursting with flavor. Use fresh in-season or frozen and thawed peas and beans for best flavor. Canned beans are often too mushy and nearly always astronomically high in sodium. Dry beans are more appropriate for fall and winter cooking, not this vibrant summer salad.

1 cup freshly shelled black-eyed peas (about ¾ pound unshelled) or frozen black-eyed peas, thawed

1 cup freshly shelled butter beans (about 1⅓ pounds unshelled) or frozen butter beans, not thawed

1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed and snapped into 1-inch lengths

1 tomato, cored and chopped

½ sweet onion, very finely chopped

1 stalk celery, very finely chopped

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

1 small bunch basil, stemmed and leaves very thinly sliced into chiffonade

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and butter beans. Decrease heat to simmer and cook just until tender, about 25 minutes. (Taste one and see how tender it is; the cooking time will depend on their freshness.) In the same pot, add the green beans and continue to cool until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Drain the peas and beans well in a colander, then set the colander with beans in the ice-water bath (to set the color and stop the cooking), making sure the beans are submerged. Drain the beans, shaking off the excess water, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato, onion, celery, garlic, and basil.

To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is creamy and emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle the dressing over the bean mixture, then toss to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Calories 155

Fat 3 g

Carbs 28 g

Fiber 8 g

Protein 6 g

GRILLED POTATO SALAD
WITH BACON VINAIGRETTE

MAKES 3 CUPS TO SERVE 6

Oh, my, this potato salad is decadent and delicious. I know what you’re thinking—“again with the bacon?!” It’s true, bacon is high in fat, but used in moderation, it can amazingly improve the flavor of a dish. And it adds about 125 calories to this entire salad, only about 20 calories per serving. So, the lesson is if you do eat bacon, I say treat it like a seasoning ingredient, not to shingle a sandwich.

The two-step process of cooking the potatoes might seem a bit tedious, but it transforms this summer salad from same-old to sublime. If all the other ingredients are ready to go, it’s quite simple to toss them on the grill with whatever else you might be grilling.

1½ pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, (about the size of a walnut), halved

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 slices center-cut bacon, cut into lardons (see note on A Bit of Bacon)

1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste with salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons pure olive oil

4 whole green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by about 2 inches with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil gently until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce easily with a knife, about 15 minutes. Don’t overcook them or they will fall apart. (I prefer using boiling water, but you can also microwave them until tender. Place the potatoes in a microwave-safe covered dish and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high until just tender, about 8 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. Carefully drain off any water the potatoes exuded during cooking. Return the cover to the pot and let the potatoes steam, 5 to 7 minutes. Proceed with recipe.)

Drain the potatoes in a large colander and let cool. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on the prepared plate.

Remove all but about 2 teaspoons of the bacon drippings from the pan. Off the heat, add the garlic, vinegar, and brown sugar to the drippings in the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Prepare a charcoal fire using about 6 pounds of charcoal and burn until the coals are completely covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the coals evenly over the grill bottom, position the grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds). Or, for a gas grill, turn all burners to high, close the lid, and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and toss to coat. Working in batches, grill the potatoes cut-side down on the grill until they have developed a light char, 2 to 3 minutes. Grill the onions until they are charred, 4 to 6 minutes a side. Chop the green onions into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl with the potatoes. (If there are any larger pieces of onions, cut them into smaller pieces). Add the reserved bacon vinaigrette and parsley. Toss to coat. Let all sit for a few minutes to allow the flavor to penetrate the potatoes. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and toss to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

DIG IT

Potatoes have a bad reputation in low-carb and paleo diets, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad for you. They’re a good source of fiber, especially if you eat the skin. There are three basic categories of potatoes: starchy, all-purpose, and waxy. Starchy potatoes are great for baking. Because of their starch, they don’t hold together very well when boiled. They have a light, mealy texture and are fluffy and absorbent, perfect for a baked potato. Examples of starchy potatoes include russet and Idaho. All-purpose potatoes include Yukon golds and purple Peruvians. They do a good job holding their shape, but share many traits in common with high-starch potatoes. Yukon golds make excellent mashed potatoes. Waxy potatoes are best for salads, as they hold their shape while boiling. They also work well in dishes like soups or stews when you want cubed potatoes. Examples of these types of potatoes include red bliss, Irish, and fingerling.

BROCCOLI SLAW
WITH LIGHT BUTTERMILK RANCH

MAKES 4 CUPS TO SERVE 6

A bag of broccoli slaw can be a weeknight lifesaver. The bag lasts a bit longer than fresh salad greens, makes a great slaw with no chopping or dicing required, and it’s packed with good-and-good-for-you broccoli stems and crispy carrots. Keep a bag of undressed broccoli slaw in the refrigerator to add texture and bulk to salads, for stir-fries, or even to use as a crunchy sandwich topper.

Broccoli slaws are a stand-by at family reunions and “dinner on the grounds,” the church supper potluck where the ladies divide and conquer to feed the masses. Traditionally, it is topped with deep-fried ramen noodles—which are high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates—so I skip the noodles and instead top with healthier, but still deliciously crunchy, almonds.

Speaking of processed foods created to survive doomsday (I’m looking at you, packaged ramen noodles), I love ranch dressing, but I really don’t love ingredients I cannot pronounce. Make this light, fresh ranch dressing from scratch and you’ll kick the bottle for good.

3 tablespoons light mayonnaise

3 tablespoons plain 2 percent Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

1 green onion, trimmed and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (10-ounce) bag broccoli slaw

1 cup sliced napa cabbage

6 radishes, thinly sliced

¼ cup roasted unsalted almonds, chopped

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, buttermilk, green onion, parsley, vinegar, mustard, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Add the broccoli slaw, cabbage, radishes, and almonds; toss to combine and coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 8 hours until ready to serve. Taste and adjust for seasoning once again before serving.

SASSY SLAW

MAKES 4 CUPS TO SERVE 6

One of the most heinous crimes of my childhood was to sass my mama. Still is. Believe me, “talking back” and “being sassy” did not go over well, at all. My sweet little mama is a whole lot of power in a tiny package. One raise of one eyebrow was enough to put the fear of the Lord in my sister and me. I was raised saying “yes, ma’am” and “no, sir.” I’m still pretty old-fashioned that way, although I now simultaneously giggle and grimace when those terms of respect are used with me.

While a sassy child is a definitely no-no, this sassy slaw packs just the right amount of panache, with its hearty splash of apple cider vinegar and a double dose of mustard. I suggest making the dressing first, then setting it aside so you can chop your vegetables.

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon mustard powder

¼ teaspoon celery seed

2 tablespoons canola oil

¼ large green cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and finely shredded (about 3 cups)

¼ large red cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and finely shredded (about 3 cups)

1 large carrot, grated

1 green onion, trimmed and chopped

½ jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, mustard powder, and celery seed. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the oil and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage, carrot, green onion, jalapeño, and parsley and toss to combine. Pour over the reserved slightly cooled dressing. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes. Toss, taste and adjust for seasoning again, then serve immediately.

QUINOA COBB SALAD
WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

SERVES 6

I’m sure you’ve all ordered cobb salad at a restaurant, and been served a huge plate with each individual ingredient laid out in a long mound, concealing the greens underneath. I love this fancy salade composée presentation, especially with my fancy French training, but unfortunately, huge mounds of chicken, egg, bacon, and cheese aren’t great for people who are trying to watch what they eat. To achieve the same flavor, but to back off a bit on the calories and fat, I suggest tossing it together like a chopped salad. Four ounces of chicken per person doesn’t look like much, especially if you are used to eating a whole boneless chicken breast, which is closer to eight ounces. However, when it is chopped and blended, you taste the chicken without registering that it’s a smaller portion. I’ve also snuck in a bit of quinoa. Quinoa is a complete protein containing all eight essential amino acids. It’s light and fluffy in texture, but has that whole grain power to fill up. This salad is substantial and great for a light summer supper.

There’s nothing quite like freshly prepared homemade salad dressing, especially one as fresh and flavorful as Green Goddess. You can substitute store-bought rotisserie chicken for the breasts if you’d like, just make sure to remove and discard the skin.

4 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup quinoa, rinsed

2 slices center-cut bacon, cut into lardons (see note on A Bit of Bacon)

2 hard-cooked eggs

1 heart of romaine, chopped

12 grape tomatoes, halved

Green Goddess Dressing

Line a plate with paper towels. Set aside.

To cook the chicken, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Decrease the heat to simmer.

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt. Add to the gently simmering liquid, and cook until firm and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool and rest, reserving 1 cup of the poaching water. Using a chef’s knife, dice the cooked chicken into cubes about ½ inch thick. Set aside.

Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear, drain, and transfer to a medium pot. Add the reserved 1 cup of poaching water and 1 teaspoon of salt; bring to a boil. Cover, decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, to cook the bacon, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Halve the eggs and discard one of the yolks. Chop the remaining 2 whites and 1 yolk into ¼-inch pieces. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, combine the romaine, quinoa, reserved bacon, reserved eggs, tomatoes, and reserved chicken; season with salt and pepper. Serve with dressing on the side.