Growing up in my family, salads were strictly summertime fare. There wasn’t much variety in the salads we ate, in fact there was no variety at all. Salad meant one thing - iceberg lettuce, tomato (luckily, living on Long Island we had really good locally grown tomatoes), and cucumber. The dressing was always the same, a combination of olive oil (at least it was labeled olive oil, I have my doubts), vinegar, and a packet of Good Season Italian Dressing mix. Toss it all together and serve alongside everything from spaghetti to hotdogs to grilled steaks. When I moved from New York to Colorado, I got my first taste of avocado in a salad. A definite improvement. I think the first major variation on the familiar salad theme that I tasted was a Caesar salad - romaine lettuce, salty anchovies, cheese, and a flavorful dressing. And garlic croutons! My eyes were opened to new possibilities.

And then I started traveling to Italy. I remember with clarity the first time I tasted an Italian caprese salad with creamy mozzarella, perfectly ripe tomato, fresh basil, and really flavorful olive oil. Equally joyous was my first panzanella. The ingredients were familiar (cucumber, tomato, red onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, bread) but they came together in a new and exciting way, one that made my taste buds explode. In Lucca, I tasted my first shaved raw artichoke salad topped with pear and pecorino cheese. I also discovered an arugula salad topped with big shaves of parmesan and carpaccio of beef. What a revelation!

Now it is mid-winter and the weather is cold and windy. The sun warmed tomatoes of summer are long gone. How I miss those summer salads! I had almost forgotten about winter salads, usually opting to put my cold season veggies in warming soups and stews. But then I had lunch with some friends who served the most delicious salad alongside soup on a chilly day. What a great reminder that winter salads can be just as tasty as the summer ones!

At this time of year the markets are full of beautiful winter veggies, many of which go well in salads. Spinach, beets, fennel, broccoli, and cauliflower are all good raw and can be added to a bowl of greens for a simple, and healthy, salad. Roasted veggies, such as red peppers and Brussel sprouts, also make great additions to a winter-time salad. The same goes for winter fruits, especially pears, apples, and clementines. Nuts, plentiful in Italy during the winter, add the perfect crunch. Combined with good leafy greens (thankfully available year round), some local cheese and a flavorful dressing, the result is a cold weather salad every bit as wonderful as a summer one. Hearty enough to be a lunch-time meal on their own, winter salads also pair well alongside a soup, pasta or roasted meat.

Starting with a base of leafy greens, these combinations are my winter favorites:

Pear with gorgonzola and chopped roasted pecans

Beets with shaved parmesan, pecans and tiny bits of preserved lemon peel. Pecorino works well too in place of parmesan. No time to roast beets? Many markets sell them packaged and already cooked.

Shaved fennel, avocado, red onion and clementines

Red leaf lettuce with pear, pecorino fresca, and walnuts. Apple works well in this combination too.

As for dressing, something with a bit of sweetness goes well with winter salads, especially those with fruit or beets. I like to mix equal parts of Dijon mustard, honey, my favorite olive oil, and either lemon juice or white wine vinegar plus a touch of salt and coarse ground pepper. This mixture goes well with any of the above combinations.

Thanks to my friend Susan for reminding me how tasty a winter salad can be!