Sensational Salad

Salad tends to receive second-class status at the table. Not quite the main course, not quite the appetizer, salads usually occupy a somewhat subservient position in a meal plan. Salad can be a simple event, but does salad always have to be composed of just lettuce? Of course not.

A dinner salad can be made with all types of ingredients, including pasta, rice and vegetables. With spring and summer vegetables appearing at the farm markets, now is the optimum time to experiment with a range of textures and flavors from fresh fruits and vegetables. From tender peas to juicy cherry tomatoes, tender steamed artichokes to tangy watercress, the combinations are limitless.

So why not turn salad into something sensational for supper by creating your own satisfying salad? You'll find below a recipe for a Mango Salad with Chicken and Mixed Greens that can function both as a dinner dish or as a luncheon salad. You can also leave out the prosciutto and lettuce, cube the mango, and serve it as a salsa to accompany meat or fish dishes.

Mango Salad with Chicken and Mixed Greens

SERVES 4

Spoon the Lime Vinaigrette over the greens just before serving.

4 mangos

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 small bunch mixed greens, torn

8 ounces thinly sliced smoked chicken, cut into thin bite-size strips

1/4 cup snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 recipe Lime Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Lime wedges (optional)

1. Slice the mangos in half, and remove the seeds. Slice each mango half into thin strips, and transfer the strips to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme.

2. Divide the greens among four salad plates. Arrange one-fourth of the sliced mango and smoked chicken on each plate of greens. Sprinkle each plate with parsley and drizzle with Lime Vinaigrette. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired, and serve.

Lime Vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar, combine 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, and 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger. Cover the jar and shake well. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Mango Fool

MAKES 2 TO 4 SERVINGS

The classic English treat is updated with a new fruit and low-fat ingredients. This no-cook dessert is a refreshing treat at the end of any dinner meal.

2 ripe mangos, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup Creme Fraiche (recipe follows)

2 tablespoons sugar

Dash of Amaretto or other almond-flavored liqueur

Additional fresh fruit, such as sliced kiwifruit, raspberries, or strawberries

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