Salad for Supper

These are the salad days, the time of year when many of our meals are pared down to the basics. For this season of lighter eating, every cook should keep the following two recipes on file. Both are filling, easy-to-make salads that travel well.

Steak Salad begins with a strip steak marinated in teriyaki sauce, oil and vinegar. It is grilled and served with green onions, capers and mustard vinaigrette. (The salad can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. However, the flavor is improved if the salad is served at room temperature.)

Chicken salad is the ideal luncheon entree. It’s light, yet filling, and everyone likes it. In our recipe, chicken is seasoned with curry powder, ginger, cayenne pepper and green onion. It has a fruity-spicy taste that is enhanced with the addition of a fresh diced peach.

STEAK SALAD

1/2 pound strip steak

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or green peppercorns

Freshly ground pepper

Lettuce

Place steak in glass bowl. Stir together teriyaki sauce, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon olive oil in cup. Pour over steak and set aside to marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.

Generously grease cast-iron ridged skillet and heat on top of stove at medium-high heat until very hot. Remove steak from marinade. Grill in pan until browned on outside, rare to pink inside, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Slice steak into thin strips. Place in bowl along with green onions and capers.

Stir together remaining 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, mustard and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in cup. Season well to taste with pepper. Pour over meat mixture and stir well.

Line 2 salad plates with lettuce. Top with steak, green onions and caper mixture, spooning on dressing left in bottom of bowl. Serve at room temperature. Makes 2 servings.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND PEACH SALAD

2 cups chicken broth

3 (1/4-inch-thick) slices ginger root

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 small chicken breast halves

1 large ripe peach, peeled and diced

1 green onion, white and green part, sliced

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Lettuce

Heat chicken broth, ginger root and hot pepper sauce in pan. Add chicken and simmer, covered, until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon chicken broth.

Remove chicken and cool until it can be handled. Remove and discard skin and bones. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Strain and refrigerate remaining broth to use within 2 days or freeze. Place chicken pieces, peach and green onion in salad bowl.

Combine curry powder, ground ginger, cayenne, mayonnaise and reserved 1 tablespoon chicken broth in cup. Stir well and spoon over chicken mixture. Stir in slivered almonds.

To serve, cover 2 salad plates with lettuce and top each with half of chicken mixture. Makes 2 servings.