Salads

Flageolets, the quintessential French legume, are the young delicate seeds of haricot beans gathered and shelled while they’re a pale shade of ivory-green. In this dish, the dried beans are soaked overnight, then cooked and tossed with sweet red onion, dry-cured black olives, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, and white wine vinegar. (You can also use the quick-soak method given here.) Garnish the dish with roast tomatoes to add some flavor from the south of France.

Classic potato salads range from the American picnic favorite made with mayo and little else, to the more elegant French version with warm waxy potatoes, a good vinaigrette and herbs. Both of these have their place, but for those wanting something less traditional, look to the Southwest. Start with sweet potatoes, which are in season, beautiful and cheap, and roast them with red onion and olive oil.

This is an easy salad to add to a buffet. Couscous, which only needs to be soaked in boiling water for a few minutes, is delightful with crunchy vegetables and a lemony dressing.