Entrée salads with star (and staying) power

The calendar tells us that we are inching toward fall. I don’t believe a word of it. I want cold food.

But since my doctor would surely diss a diet of ice-cream sandwiches and sundaes, I’ve had to settle for salads. Often, I find myself dumping whatever I can find in the fridge into a big bowl, dressing it with olive oil and vinegar and calling it a meal.

But no matter how creative I get with tomatoes and peaches, parsley and basil, cucumbers and onions, I invariably get the munchies a couple of hours afterward. Sometimes the missing link is carbs; more often, I think it’s protein. A quick solution would be to open a can of tuna, boil some eggs, slice up some roast chicken or leftover steak.

But when company comes, one must do better than emptying the refrigerator. One  salad that is hefty enough for a full meal, and guaranteed to razzle-dazzle ’em, is Chef Philippa Kingsley’s Thai Beef Salad, a heavenly mélange of filet mignon lovingly marinated in a sauce redolent of fresh mint, cilantro and lemons. The classic French salad of wilted frisee, crispy bacon and poached eggs makes an excellent light supper with grilled bread and a glass of Rosé. A wonderful vegan option is Charleston Chef Robert Stehling’s Wehani rice salad, which not only celebrates the cool notes of avocado and tomato, but also suggests the coming of fall with the nutty crunch of the delicious brown-rice hybrid.

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RECIPES

Frisee with Crispy Lardons and Poached Eggs can be put together in a few minutes. The vegan Avocado and Wehani Rice and Salad is easy to assemble and can be done in about the time it takes to boil the rice. And the Thai Beef Salad is both a sublime dish and a visual knockout.

Thai Beef Salad

Philippa Kingsley, the Atlanta-based “blonde Thai” chef, says the secret of this salad is the long marinade time. She suggests 24 hours, but I think you can get by with just a few hours or overnight. For me, the key is to use top-notch beef tenderloin (filet mignon); if you have time to grill the meat, you’ll get an even better flavor, smoky and charred. For the sweet Thai chili sauce, Kingsley recommends Mae Ploy brand, which can be found at Buford Highway Farmers Market. Serve with bowls of steamed rice.

Hands on: 1 hour

Total time: 5 hours (includes chill time)

Serves: 4 (main dish portions)

1 pound beef tenderloin

Salt

1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup sweet Thai chili sauce

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped or torn by hand

1 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped or torn by hand

2 small to medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

½ European cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 head red leaf or green leaf lettuce, washed, separated into individual leaves and dried

Additional mint and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Set broiler on high. Rub beef tenderloin with salt and place in a shallow roasting pan or broiler pan. Cook each side for 10-15 minutes — until medium (just pink at the interior). A meat thermometer inserted at thickest portion of the tenderloin should read 135-140 degrees; the meat will rise another 5-10 degrees when removed from oven. (Note that you may also grill the meat.) Set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes, and slice.

In a large mixing bowl, add lemon juice, sweet Thai chili sauce, granulated sugar and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Add the sliced beef, red onion, green onion, cilantro and mint. Cover and chill for at least four hours, or overnight.

One hour before serving, add cucumber and tomato to the beef mixture. Stir, cover and return to refrigerator.

In a large bowl or serving dish, make a circle of lettuce leaves. Spoon the beef mixture onto the lettuce and pour in the marinade. If desired, garnish with optional cilantro or mint sprigs.

Per serving: 310 calories (percent of calories from fat, 27), 32 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 60 milligrams cholesterol, 117 milligrams sodium.

— Adapted from a recipe by Chef Philippa Kingsley

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Avocado and Wehani Rice Salad

Hands on: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Serves: 2 (main dish portions)

The creator of this dish, chef Robert Stehling of Charleston’s Hominy Grill, won the James Beard Award for best Southeast chef in 2008. If you want a more substantial meal, pair this with grilled shrimp, roast pork or chicken. You can buy Lundberg Family Farms’ Wehani Rice at Whole Foods, Your DeKalb Farmers Market or health food markets.

1 cup Wehani rice

3 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/3 cup red onion, diced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup olive oil, or more to taste

2 tablespoons lime juice

¼ teaspoon celery seed

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced or halved

6 cups salad greens

Cook the rice according to package directions. Turn the rice out onto a baking sheet to cool and dry out. (If the rice still looks a bit wet, you may dab it gently with paper towels or a clean dish towel.)

Place rice in a large mixing bowl and add tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice and celery seed. Toss gently and taste for seasonings, adding salt, pepper and additional olive oil if desired. (You may chill the rice mixture, covered, in the refrigerator for up to three hours.)

When ready to serve, divide the salad greens onto two plates. Top greens with sliced avocado and scoops of rice mixture. (If you prefer, you may use a half avocado on each plate and top with rice.)

Per serving: 839 calories (percent of calories from fat, 46), 16 grams protein, 102 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 44 grams fat (6 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 82 milligrams sodium.

— Adapted from a recipe by Chef Robert Stehling, Hominy Grill, Charleston, S.C.

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Frisee with Crispy Lardons and Poached Eggs (Bacon and Egg Salad)

Poached eggs aren’t all that difficult, if you follow the directions below and use very fresh eggs. If the thought of eating a runny egg bothers you, simply cook it until the yolk is quite firm. If you are still intimidated by the poaching technique, a fried egg will also work well. Serve this with toasted baguette slices or good rustic bread.

Hands on: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2 (main course portions)

1 large head of frisee, washed, dried and torn into pieces