Salad

Cooking bacon in the oven on a sheet tray is so hands-off, so splatter-free, and so easy, it just might convince you to eat a lot more bacon in the future.

If you have a perfectly ripe melon—great! If you don’t, no worries. The salt, acid, and a bit of heat here will give life to lackluster specimens.

You want that lamb fat to render out gently; it’ll eventually become part of the sauce that will tie the whole dish together.

The juices from the tomatoes, squash, and dressing make for a magical combination—you’ll need crusty bread to soak it up with.

If you prefer skinless, boneless thighs, that’s fine too. You will need to add about 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan to start, and your total cook time will be shorter. Change up the crunchy vegetables as you wish—any sturdy veggie that you enjoy eating raw will be equally good.

This sauce tastes like a cross between ranch and Alabama white sauce, which means you can basically put it on anything.

A beautifully simple salad.

A salad where one of the main ingredients is cheese? Okay yes.

How to make a simple salad look like the work of a pro.

It's not about the number of steps or ingredients in a dish. If you shop smart, buying peak-season produce and quality protein, you don't have to do much at all (like with this easy salad recipe).

Serve this salad as soon as it is assembled so all of the tomato juices and flavor stay where they belong.

We highly recommend using more than one type of radish for this salad—it really makes a difference in both texture and presentation.

You can make this salad ahead of time—but wait until an hour before to add the lemon juice, which will prevent the shrimp from getting tough.

Peewee Dutch Yellow Potatoes are the perfect tiny potato for this recipe, but if you can’t find them, just use the smallest fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes you can buy.

Pro move: Save the spicy broth and sprinkle with some chopped cilantro or scallions to sip on later.

This dressing goes great with avocado salad, but we love it with simply prepared salmon, chicken, or rice as well.

Whipping up a homemade Caesar salad dressing is easier than you might think and definitely worth your while.

Psst…you don’t need to presoak or preshuck corn before grilling it. Just put the whole ears on the grate and the husks and silk will slip right off afterward. You’re welcome.

Lapsang, a black tea from China, may taste too strong and smoky when you sip it on its own, but it will mellow out as it marinates with the fish.

What makes this salad special is the miso ranch dressing and the pulverized nori.