5 Flavorful Meat-Free Dishes

tomato, watermelon, salad, recipe

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Worried about the latest meat recall? You don't have to cook elaborate vegetarian dishes to make up for not having beef on your plate. Try 5 delicious and easy alternatives this week that go just as well with fish and chicken or even a great Spicy Bean Burger.

1. Warm Potato, Radish, and Fennel Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients
1 tablespoon chopped fennel leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and sliced, stalks discarded
10 radishes, sliced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 pound 1/4-inch sliced baby red potatoes
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation In a bowl, add the chopped fennel leaves, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the sliced fennel, radishes and diced red onion to the salad. Cook the sliced baby red potatoes in salted boiling water, covered, about 7 minutes; drain. Add to salad and toss. Shave 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese over top; serve warm.

2. Tomato Basil Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients
6 medium red tomatoes (about 3 pounds), cut into wedges
1 small Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

Preparation Place tomatoes and onion in serving bowl. In small saucepan, heat vinegars and sugar over medium heat about 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour warm dressing over tomato mixture; sprinkle with basil and toss gently to coat. Let stand 30 minutes to blend flavors. Toss before serving.

3. Barley, Nectarine, and Cherry Salad

Serves: 8

Ingredients
6 cups water 2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 package (16 ounces) pearl barley
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound nectarines (about 3 medium)
1 pound dark sweet cherries
1 jalapeno chile
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Preparation In covered 4-quart saucepan, heat 6 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to boiling over high heat. Add barley; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 35 minutes or until barley is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in large serving bowl, mix oil, vinegar, sugar, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pit nectarines and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Pit cherries and cut each in half. Finely chop jalapeno and thinly slice basil. Transfer nectarines, cherries, jalapeno, and basil to bowl with oil mixture. Drain barley. Rinse with cold running water to stop cooking; drain again. Add barley to nectarine mixture. Toss until evenly coated with dressing. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.

4. Marinated Potato and Green Bean Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 1/4 pound red bliss potatoes, washed
1/2 pound green snap beans, ends trimmed
1 cup red onion slices, thin
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon basil, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation Bring a medium-sized saucepot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the potatoes. Cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, until the tip of a knife meets only slight resistance. Remove the cooked potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Allow the water to continue boiling. Cut the green beans into bite-size pieces, at a sharp angle. Add them to the boiling potato water and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until just barely tender. Drain when cooked. Cut the cooled potatoes into 1/2-inch wedges or slice in half if small. Place the potatoes, green beans, and onion in a large mixing bowl. Combine the oil, vinegar, basil, and mustard in a small bowl; whisk thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Celery Root and Apple Slaw

Serves: 6

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 small bulbs celery root (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into small matchsticks
2 crisp apples, such as macoun, cored and cut into small matchsticks
1 large egg, hardboiled and finely chopped

Preparation Combine the mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon zest, salt, and horseradish in a medium bowl. Toss the lemon juice, celery root, and apples together in a large bowl and stir in the mayonnaise mixture and egg. Let sit at least 45 minutes before serving.

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