Leafy Greens

"It's everything I want in a salad: sweet, crunchy, and bright." —Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor

This is equally good drizzled over hard-boiled eggs or with crudité for dipping.

This "put an egg on it" dream dish is a must-order menu item at Sqirl. If using kale, you may want to add more lemon juice to mimic sorrel's tart sharpness.

This low-heat method is very gentle, lending the salmon a velvety texture.

Not in a carnivorous mood? Just opt for large peeled shrimp instead of beef and cut the cooking time by a couple of minutes.

When I created this Caesar salad, I did a silly dance around the kitchen. Seriously—it is that good. And the name is perfect for it. I’m betting that this Caesar salad dressing is like nothing you’ve ever tasted. It is extremely eccentric and undeniably delicious. Who would have thought that curry powder would be the perfect addition to a Caesar dressing? Not me before I took the risk of adding it—but now I am a total convert. And the nutritional yeast gives this dressing a cheese-like flavor that could please even the most omnivorous Caesar salad connoisseur. This recipe makes extra dressing that you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Topped with our Quick Garlic Croutons, capers, avocado, and hemp seeds, this dynamic salad will delight your adventurous taste buds. —Marea

The weeknight, veggie-heavy, nothing-in-the-house-to-eat dinner. Top with a fried egg if you're feeling peckish.

All the flavors of a steak sandwich on rye, but in salad form.

Spicy arugula, slightly bitter endive, and sweet fennel come together in a salad with the briny help of coarsely chopped olives in the lemony dressing.

Dandelions are one of the first greens to appear in the spring and their slightly bitter flavor has long been welcomed as a counterpoint to the richness of the meat they're often served with. The dandelions used in this recipe are the long, dark green Italian style leaves that are increasingly available in supermarkets and farmers markets. If you can't find dandelion, use chicory or escarole. Cooking the greens in water first is a crucial step and will significantly lessen their bitter edge. The sweetness of the onion and the mild heat of the crushed red pepper the greens are later sauté with, balances them further.

You can leave out the salami for a vegetarian version of this winter panzanella.

Selling skeptics on the idea of a vegetarian dinner is easy when it's in pie form. Maitake mushrooms add heft.

Look for pea shoots at the farmers' market or at Asian markets (though any tender green will work in a pinch).

BOILING OR STEAMING bok choy often results in a watery, stringy vegetable. But grilling halved heads of bok choy slathered with miso butter leads to pure flavor. Be sure to keep the heat at medium so the paste can caramelize without burning. My first few attempts at grilling bok choy (I used Shanghai bok choy) resulted in charred leaves that were too crisp to enjoy. Now I separate the leaves from the stalks and use them raw in a salad that wilts under the heat of the grilled vegetable. Use white or yellow miso paste in this recipe. If you use a darker miso, know that it will be saltier. Make this side dish when you are already firing up the grill for the main course.

Flay often uses terracotta dishes called cazuelas for this recipe.

Mary Fitzgerald, Wexford: Gardener and internet enthusiast Three generations of my family have eaten this dish: we used to make it to use up my father's seasonal harvest of spinach. I now grow spinach in my own garden, along with everything from sorrel and runner-beans to beetroot and rhubarb, and make this pie regularly.

Chef Hugo Bolanos of Los Angeles' Hotel Bel-Air shared this recipe exclusively with Epicurious. His turmeric-infused green juice features apples, celery, kale, and parsley but it's a flexible recipe, so feel free to experiment with different veggie combinations. Bolanos recommends swapping in Japanese cucumber for the celery, and substituting Swiss chard for the kale.

This is a lovely crunchy and tangy accompaniment to cold meats and salads. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a few days.