The recipe below was adapted by VIVmag from one of Silverton’s favorite recipes — a quick, simple dish that is best served family style. “This is an upscale version of the sort of antipasto salad we all grew up eating at Italian-American restaurants,” says Silverton. “I think it’s fun for people to dig around and see what little treats they might find amid the lettuce.”

Nancy’s Chopped Salad

Serves 4

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1  head iceberg lettuce, core removed and julienned
1  head radicchio, core removed and julienned
2  cups chickpeas, drained
1  pound provolone (preferably aged), sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1  pound Genoa salami, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1  red onion, peeled, halved at the core and julienned
4  pepperoncini, sliced into thin rings (stem discarded)
2  teaspoons kosher salt
2  pints Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, halved, then lightly seasoned with salt

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

2  tablespoons lemon juice
4  ounces red-wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
1  garlic clove, micro-planed
1  garlic clove, smashed whole
2  teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
2  cups extra-virgin olive oil

TO PREPARE SALAD:

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

TO PREPARE DRESSING:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil; slowly whisk in olive oil.

TO SERVE:

Add 6 ounces of dressing to the salad and toss well to coat. (Store remaining dressing in refrigerator; it lasts 4–5 days.) Divide salad onto 4 plates. Garnish with dried oregano and serve immediately.

Check out VIVmag‘s review of Let’s Get Primitive in our July/August 2007 issue!

Chili-Lime Roasted Corn on the Cob

• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 ears of corn, husked
• 2 squares aluminum foil, big enough to wrap corn

Directions: Prepare campfire and let it burn down to hot coals. (Or do the same with a charcoal grill.) Squeeze the lime juice into a resealable plastic bag and add the oil, chili powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Seal and shake the bag thoroughly to mix. Set aside.

Place an ear of husked corn on top of each aluminum foil square. (Turn up the ends of the foil to make a boat for the juice.) Poke a hole in a corner of the bag and squeeze an equal amount of marinade onto each ear, reserving a little marinade to squeeze on just before you eat. Turn to fully coat the ears and wrap them tightly in foil. Place in the campfire (or grill) coals to roast for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally to cook evenly.

To serve, remove foil and fashion into holders. Drizzle with additional lime marinade if desired.

Mexican Papaya Salad With Orange and Cumin Dressing
Serves 4

Although the dressing is low-calorie, a little goes a long way. Coat the greens with the dressing, don’t drench them; that way they’ll stay crisp and beautiful on the plate. Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 4–5 days.

For the dressing:

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup (available at health-food stores, or substitute 1 teaspoon honey)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 2 cups papaya slices
• 2 navel oranges, peeled and cut in wedges
• 12 sliced red onion rings
• 3 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
• Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Place a small, dry sauté pan over high heat; add cumin seeds and toast, shaking pan, until seeds are fragrant (about 30 seconds). Crush seeds in a mortar and pestle or place on a chopping block and crush with the bottom of a heavy pot. Place crushed seeds and all other dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until homogenized.

To assemble salad, toss greens in a large bowl with 1/3 cup dressing and divide among 4 salad plates. Arrange 1/4 of papaya and orange segments over greens and top each with 3 red onion rings. Scatter with a sprinkling of pepitas and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of dressing. Garnish with cilantro.

Take-home spa chef tip: To intensify flavor, briefly toast all your spices in a dry skillet before adding to recipes.

Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio With Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad
Serves 4

4 large heirloom tomatoes, peeled
½ cup virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 2-ounce wheels of fresh goat cheese
½ cup pistachios, shelled, toasted and chopped
2 bunches arugula
1 lemon, halved and juiced

Directions: Use a very sharp knife or mandoline to slice tomatoes very thin and arrange on 4 plates in a fanlike fashion. Drizzle tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Roll each wheel of goat cheese thoroughly in crushed pistachio, pressing gently so nuts adhere to cheese surface. Place one pistachio/goat cheese wheel in the center of each fanned tomato. In a large bowl, dress the arugula with remaining olive oil, the lemon juice and salt and pepper, and toss well to combine. Arrange salad atop each cheese wheel and serve immediately.

Wheat berries may not be available in your local supermarket; check specialty stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. You can also order gourmet goods online at Amazon.com.

Red Mountain Barley and Wheat Berry Pilaf
Serves 10

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons chopped carrots
4 tablespoons chopped leeks
4 tablespoons chopped shallots
6½ ounces barley, uncooked
2½ ounces wheat berries, pre-soaked in water overnight
2¼ cups vegetable stock
5 ounces chopped mustard greens
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper

Directions: Pour olive oil into a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and sauté until tender. Add  leeks and continue sautéing until leeks have softened. Add shallots and sauté gently until flavor is released. Add barley, then wheat berries in vegetable stock and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until grains are al dente. Add mustard greens and cover for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The key to this dish is selecting high-quality ingredients. Choose carrots that are fresh and bright orange (the deeper the color, the more eyesight boosting beta-carotene benefits). Select fresh or fresh frozen claw meat of the stone crab variety for rich taste and texture.

Chilled Carrot Soup with Stone Crab Meat
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces crab meat (about two medium claws)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 10 large carrots, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 1 quart chicken stock or water
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, and divided in half
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lime, halved and juiced
• 1 lemon, halved and juiced

For the crab meat: Place claws in boiling water and bring to a second boil (total cook time should be approximately 7 to 8 minutes). Drain and run cold water over claws to help separate the meat from the shell. To remove meat, crack all sections of shell with a hammer or nut cracker and carefully pick out the meat with a fork. Cover and store crab meat in the refrigerator until soup is ready.

For the carrot soup: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and tender. Add cubed carrots and sear lightly, about five minutes. Pour in chicken stock or water, and add thyme, half of the cilantro, salt and pepper. Cook until carrots are tender.

When the carrots are cooked, puree everything in a blender, then strain through a fine chinois (or conical sieve). Set aside puree to cool. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk in the juice of half a lime.

Remove crab meat from the refigerator. Season with pepper, some lemon juice and a little olive oil. Spoon eight equal servings of crab into a mound in the center of eight soup bowls. Carefully pour carrot soup around crabmeat. Decorate with remaining cilantro.

Easy to make and full of flavor, serve these burgers up at your next barbecue. They also cook up nicely under your kitchen’s broiler on a stormy day.

Tarragon Grilled Turkey Burgers With Chipotle Mayo
Serves 4

For the mayo:
2 chipotle peppers
3 ounces silken tofu
3 tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Blend all ingredients in a food processor; place in small bowl and set aside in refrigerator.

For the burgers:
1 pound ground turkey
¼ cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg (or 2 egg whites), beaten
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, add all ingredients and mix well to combine. Shape mixture into 4 equal patties. Place patties on a broiler pan coated with nonstick cooking spray; broil 6 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Serve on a whole-wheat sesame bun with 1-tablespoon of chipotle mayo. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles.