fast and easy

Do you, like me, equate sun-filled May days with outdoor eating and drinking? If so, then you'll spring for this speedy, supersimple, no-cook bean salad.

Macaroni and potato salads may get most of the love, but I'd argue the unsung hero of the picnic is actually the bean salad: it's light, full of wholesome ingredients, and satisfying. This six-bean version in particular boasts a symphony of flavors; it's sweet, savory, tangy, a little bit spicy, and bright (thanks to the addition of fresh dill). Best of all, it's free of any cream or mayonnaise, so you'll never have to worry about it baking in the Summer sun.

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At the mere mention the word "picnic," my ears perk up. So when I was flipping through Heather Christo's Generous Table and came across a menu plan for a lakeshore picnic, I knew I'd have to make at least one recipe from her spread. Add an early and bountiful cherry season to the mix — my local farmers market suddenly became overrun with them last week — and it was settled. Quinoa salad with cherries and feta would make it to my table, and soon.

Thankfully, Christo's palate is spot-on. Juicy cherries play off salty feta like old friends. Add grassy parsley, sharp minced shallot, and nutty toasted almonds to the mix, and the result is a hearty grain-based salad perfect for picnics, brown-bag lunches, or just because. As long as cherries keep finding their way into my farmers market tote, this delightful dish will be on my table.

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Combine thick batons of slab bacon, or lardons, runny-yolked poached eggs, a sprinkling of minced shallot, and frilly frisée, and it's no surprise that the resulting salad is salty, sharp, and satisfying. Even better, salade Lyonnaise, as it's known in France, is gloriously versatile. It can serve as an elegant yet easy first course to a classic French meal or satiate on its own with the addition of an extra poached egg and a smattering of croutons or a hunk of baguette to mop up any extra dressing.

For a splendid and not-too-fussy meal, start with the salad at hand and a glass of crisp white wine, and pair it with lemon and lavender roast chicken, moules à la marinière, or a bloody rare New York strip steak. Either way, make certain to try out this can't-miss recipe.

If you're not yet acquainted with larb, a Thai meat- and herb-based salad that simultaneously manages to hit salty, sour, spicy, sweet, and savory notes, then it's about time your paths crossed. If you're already a fan — as nearly anyone who's tried it is — you may notice that this version is a bit atypical, primarily in the method of meat prep. Most larb is based around ground meat, but my favorite Thai restaurant's must-order duck version features bite-size chunks of roast duck, burnished, luxuriously fatty skin and all, and since my first bite, I've become a steadfast convert.

This recipe reflects that, but with a slight nod to more user-friendly ingredients, swapping chicken thighs for the duck (feel free to sub duck if your market stocks it). Either way, it's a tantalizing dish that brings a taste of Thailand to your dinner table in a flash. Get the exceptional and exotic recipe.