Root Vegetable

Wheatberries are a nutty grain often used in salads and breads. Look for hard red winter wheatberries—summer wheatberries become too soft after they’re cooked.

Mâche, or lamb’s lettuce, is a tender, nutty green. If it’s unavailable, try watercress as a delicious substitute.

For a complete meal, serve this salad with pita bread, feta cheese, and hummus. If you are on a low-sodium diet, substitute a less salty cheese for the feta.

This salad tastes best up to 1 hour after making it. To make ahead store the salad components separately (up to 3 hours), and toss before serving.

We used several varieties of beets, including Golden Globe and Chioggia, for a colorful salad, but you may use any variety you like.

Chioggia beets are pink on the outside and striped on the inside. Because they are not cooked in this recipe, choose tender baby beets. You can use red or golden beets if Chioggia beets are unavailable. After your grill becomes hot, grill the lemon halves, cut side down, until lightly charred. Remove, let cool slightly, and squeeze their warm juice over the vegetables.

Ricotta salata is a firmer version of fresh ricotta; it is perfect for shaving over salads.

The scallops and vegetables can be poached and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. Avoid using an oaky Chardonnay, which may add bitterness.

Celery hearts are the tender, pale-green inner stalks in a celery bunch.

If fresh is unavailable, look for packages of prewashed baby spinach. Blood oranges are named for their vivid red-streaked flesh.

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. For maximum health benefits, cut or juice them just before serving. Vitamins A and C and iron are also provided by baby spinach.