Granted, this is a bit of work for a salad, but that’s how to transform vegetables into brag-worthy ingredients. To simplify, you could char the beets and greens in a dry cast-iron skillet. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
This is made with house-pickled herring at Oberlin, but smoked trout is equally delicious as an anchovy alt. If you can’t get kohlrabi, try this same scenario on romaine. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
A bowl of ice water stops the blanched vegetables from cooking and ensures they stay tender-crisp. The salt in the ice water seasons the veggies and chills them even further.
There’s no law that says watermelon salads must incorporate feta. This renegade combination is at once sweet, tart, and savory—the kind of dish that’s as comfortable at the breakfast table as it is at a potluck.