Special salads II: tasty, healthy and interesting!

This is inspired by a classic French country salad. The traditional dish includes thick-cut bacon, but this version is great without the meat. You can serve it as a starter, but I like to make a meal of it.

Fris�e Salad With Poached Egg

2 heads fris�e, tender light green leaves only, washed and dried (about 6 cups), or 6 cups mixed baby lettuces, washed and dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon or chives

1 sweet red pepper, very thinly sliced

6 thin slices baguette or whole grain bread, toasted, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic and cut into squares

6 large or extra-large eggs

1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, minced or pureed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons walnut oil

1. Combine the lettuce, herbs, red pepper and croutons in a large bowl.

2. Poach the eggs. Fill a lidded frying pan with water, and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to the water. One at a time, break the eggs into a teacup, then tip from the teacup into the pan (do this in batches if necessary). Immediately turn off the heat under the pan and cover tightly. Leave for four minutes. Lay a clean dish towel next to the pan, and using a slotted spoon or spatula, carefully remove the poached eggs from the water. Set on the towel to drain.

3. Whisk together the vinegars, salt, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the oil. Toss with the salad until thoroughly coated, and distribute among six salad plates. Top each serving with a poached egg. Season the egg with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with some thyme leaves and serve.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: You can poach the eggs up to a day ahead. Keep in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. Drain on a kitchen towel before assembling the salad. The lettuces can be washed and dried, and held in plastic bags in the refrigerator overnight.

Spinach Salad

Sometimes salads can be comforting, especially when warm potatoes are part of the mix. This is a particularly healthy combination whose three components bring together a great deal of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin A.

1 pound waxy potatoes, cut in 1-inch dice

2 tablespoons finely minced red onion, soaked for five minutes in cold water, then drained, rinsed, and drained on paper towels

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 small garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced or pureed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil or dill

6 ounces green beans, trimmed and broken in half

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach

1. Steam the potatoes above 1 inch boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil and yogurt.

2. When the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat and toss at once with 1/4 cup of the dressing, the onion, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the green beans to the steamer pot, and steam for five minutes. Remove from the heat, refresh briefly with cold water, drain well and toss with the potatoes, 2 more tablespoons of the dressing and the feta. In a separate bowl, toss the spinach with the remaining dressing. Top with the potatoes and beans, and serve.

Yield: Serves four as a main dish or six as a side dish.

Advance preparation: You can prepare everything several hours ahead. Reverse the order of preparation if you want the potatoes to be warm, steaming them at the last minute.