Leafy Greens

Use a sweet, ripe (but not overripe) pear such as Bosc or Anjou; if it’s not ripe enough, the flavor won’t marry with the cheese. Taleggio is a mild, creamy Italian cheese; if you can’t find it, Brie is a perfectly fine substitute.

A hearty yet sophisticated sandwich with enough meat in it to satisfy big appetites. Don’t use your stale, leftover croissants for this; you want the butter to melt and crisp up the dough, making it even flakier and completely delicious.

Curry powder isn’t a traditional Italian ingredient, but over time it has found its way into Italian cuisine simply because of Italy’s geographic location and influences from its neighbors. I love the flavorful blend of spices in curry powder, which marries well with mayo and chicken. The radicchio adds a touch of bitterness and the pancetta a perfect crunch.

Hoisin is a sweet yet complex Chinese condiment that you can find in the Asian section of just about every supermarket these days. The hoisin-based barbecue sauce is especially delicious with rich salmon, but it would also be great on beef or turkey burgers. The pickled ginger and cabbage slaw, which contain quintessentially Asian ingredients such as garlic, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil, are an ideal way to add some fresh crunch to the burger.

Cobb salads occupy a delicious middle ground between the decadent (hello bacon and blue cheese!) and the virtuous (lean turkey, and it is a salad after all). Whichever side you land on, there is no denying how awesome the mixture of tangy blue cheese, salty bacon, creamy avocados, ripe tomatoes, and crisp romaine lettuce is. It’s not hard to imagine how good those ingredients would taste not tossed with cubes of cold roasted turkey, but atop a hot and juicy turkey burger. It makes perfect sense to me!

I have to tip my hat to my wife for this one. She is a Texas girl through and through, and she loves her beef brisket with coleslaw and pickles. I do, too, but I don’t necessarily have the patience to wait for the brisket. This burger satisfies her craving for a taste of home and my need for speed, all in one, making it a classic in our house. This burger has even proved popular with the patrons of Bobby’s Burger Palace.

Just mention the Carolinas and I immediately think of pulled pork sandwiches, dripping with barbecue sauce and topped with creamy coleslaw. Take the pulled pork out of the equation, add the rest to a burger, and you’ve got the Carolina Burger. It’s all about finding a great home for those sweet, vinegary, and spicy flavors that go so well with coleslaw.

The classically American Caesar salad has taken on a life of its own. Forget about it as a starter—this salad has become a meal on menus across the country with the addition of chicken, steak, or shrimp. Why not take it one step further and put the salad on a burger? Refreshing romaine lettuce lends its crispness to the burger, but the zesty dressing and extra Parmesan cheese are what really make this so identifiable flavor-wise and so tasty. All of the classic components of Caesar dressing—garlic, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies (these can be your secret, but their rich saltiness is essential)—morph into a slightly spicy mayonnaise perfect for spreading all over this new way to make a meal out of Caesar salad.

One of my favorite bistro meals consists of a thick and juicy steak crusted with coarsely ground black pepper–steak au poivre–served with a simple green salad tossed with a mustardy vinaigrette. The bistro burger takes the flavor highlights of that meal and packages them in burger form. The coarse black pepper makes a great crust for the burger –just as it does on steak au poivre!—and adds a nice touch of heat. Shredded endive in a mustard vinaigrette (of course) and nutty Gruyère cheese are natural accompaniments.

Using prewashed spinach and presliced mushrooms makes preparation of an easy entrée even easier. Serve this stir-fry over hot brown rice to add a whole grain to your meal.

Here’s proof that a home-cooked meal can take less time than making a run for fast food.

Today’s low-fat sausages make it easy to enjoy heart-healthy versions of some Eastern European dishes, such as this one.

These “pass arounds” will be a family favorite. You’ll like them because they utilize planned-overs from Taco-Rubbed Flank Steak (page 184), making it easy to get dinner on the table in next to no time. Your kids will like choosing their own combination of condiments and creating their own burritos. And everyone will like the taste.

Cubes of beef are browned and simmered with colorful vegetables and thin noodles in this tasty, soupy Asian stew.