This time of year, Western Pennsylvania farmland tends to be covered in snow. So unless you're trying to shed the spare tire you put on, quite unintentionally, over the holidays, you might not be thinking "salad" for dinner. Better to wait until spring, when fresh, leafy greens start showing up at local farmers' markets.

Beth and Oren Smith would beg to differ.

Two years ago, the husband-and-wife agricultural team started growing hydroponic bibb lettuce in a greenhouse at Oak Hill Farm, their 300-acre farm in Avella, Washington County. Depending on the available light and temperature, each growing cycle takes between 30 and 40 days; in winter, Mrs. Smith says, when it can be a "challenge" to keep the 3,300-square-foot greenhouse above a balmy 50 degrees, that translates to about five dozen heads in any given week.

The small, local crop is sold in those distinctive plastic clamshell containers at Giant Eagle Market District in Bethel Park and the Winter (farmers) Market at Ivy Green Floral Shoppe in downtown Washington.

After they snag a few heads for their own plates, of course, often as a complete meal at lunch or dinner.

To those who love their green vegetables, hydroponic lettuce can be a godsend in winter. Grown in nothing but a nutrient-rich liquid, it's dirt- and pesticide-free; because it's harvested with the roots intact, it's wonderfully, incredibly fresh. How fresh? Consumers can put a head of it in water, and it will continue growing for days and even weeks. Maybe that's why despite its higher cost (about $3 a head) it's finding a growing audience.

Milestone Specialty Produce's winter salad club has proven so popular ($50 for a 13-week subscription) that the Elizabeth non-profit has had to turn away new customers; with just one truck and three people manning the 130-by-30-foot greenhouse, distribution is extremely limited. You can, however, find their hydroponic red, green, Lola Rosa and bibb lettuces at Right By Nature in the Strip District and the East End Food Co-op.

"Some say it's the best lettuce they've ever had," says Steve Antin, Milestone's director of business administration. Commercial customers include several Downtown restaurants and Parkhurst Dining Services, which caters all events held at the Carnegie museums.

On a smaller (and flashier) scale, there's a hydroponic garden featuring long rows of butter lettuce smack in the middle of the new Giant Eagle Market District at Settlers Ridge in Robinson. Adding to its gee-whiz factor: Leaves are picked to order.

But head lettuce, be it of the hydroponic or trucked-in-from-California garden variety, only gets you so far. To create a salad worthy of entree attention, you're also going to need a killer dressing (anything that incorporates Dijon mustard is usually delicious) and some tasty toppings -- say, caramelized or toasted nuts for added protein, a juicy fruit or perhaps a crumble of salty cheese.

Here, we offer a variety of main-course salads that will not only help you get your waistline back but also will remind your tastebuds that going green doesn't mean sacrificing taste.

Watercress, Bibb Lettuce and Blood Orange Salad with Caramelized Walnuts

PG tested

Richard McMahon, director of dining services for Chartwells Dining Services at the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, prepared this colorful salad as a first course for the school's recent 2010 La Cultura Winter Gala. It featured a mix of hydroponic lettuce and watercress from Alexander's Greenhouse in Latrobe. Watercress sprigs add a touch of spice; if you can't find it in your local produce section, substitute radish sprouts. Tossed with some shredded roasted chicken or a piece of grilled fish, it would also make a fine, low-cal entree. Isubstituted pecans for the walnuts.

• 2 small shallots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• Juice of 2 blood oranges (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• For walnuts
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• For salad
• 1 head bibb lettuce
• 1 handful watercress sprigs

2 blood oranges, peeled to remove all the pith

Prepare dressing by combining shallots, vinegar, orange juice and salt. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare walnuts by combining nuts with butter, brown sugar and honey. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes or until nuts are glazed. Cool, and set aside.

Prepare salad by separating bibb lettuce leaves. Wash and pat dry. Wash and pat dry watercress sprigs.

With a sharp paring knife, trim off the top and bottom of each orange. Carefully remove the rest of the peel, making sure to remove all of the pith while wasting as little of the orange as possible (I used a zester.) Slice crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon dressing on a plate. Place 3 leaves of bibb lettuce on top. Place 3 or 4 slices of blood orange on top of lettuce, and sprinkle with caramelized walnuts. Arrange watercress on top of orange slices and walnuts. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing over salad, and season with fresh-ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a first course.

-- Richard McMahon, Chartwells Dining Services

SWEETGREEN Red and White Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa, which the Incas considered a sacred food, is particularly trendy right now. But don't let the fear of being a follower stop you from trying the protein-rich "super grain." This healthful recipe from sweetgreen, an organic eatery chain in D.C., marries the healthful goodness of red quinoa with its more traditional blond sister; dried cranberries, a handful of peppery arugula and chopped kale and sprinkle of toasted almonds add more crunch and color. I used a combination of boiling and steaming to cook the quinoa but you can also just boil it.

• 1 large sweet potato, diced small
• 1 large red beet, diced into cubes
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed (available at Whole Foods)
• 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
• 1 bunch flat-leaf kale, de-stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick ribbons (I couldn't find flat so substituted curly)
• 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds
• Freshly chopped parsley or basil
• Squeeze of fresh lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound of baby arugula or baby spinach

Coat sweet potatoes and beets with balsamic vinegar and roast in oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

While veggies are roasting, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa. Lower heat to a simmer and let cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Alternatively, boil the quinoa for 10 minutes in a large pot of boiling, salted water; drain; and then steam over a saucepan containing 11/2 inches boiling water, lid closed, until quinoa is fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes.) Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Allow quinoa to cool slightly in a large separate bowl.

Add roasted vegetables and kale to warm quinoa mixture; the heat will wilt the kale. Add cranberries, toasted almonds and parsley or basil. Give it a squeeze of fresh lemon, drizzle with a little olive oil and add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste, and mix in a handful of baby arugula or spinach.

Serves 6 as an entree.

-- sweetgreen.com

Pear Salad with Pomegranate Honey Dijon Dressing and Blue Cheese Crumbles

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Pomegranates are a funny fruit in the sense you eat the seeds -- called arils -- instead of the flesh. They're also one of your messier fruits, as the dark-pink juice will stain your hands and clothes if you're not careful (scrub fingertips clean with a mixture of lemon juice and salt). Sprinkled on top of a salad, though, pomegranate arils add a juicy crunch. Serve with a warm crusty bread.

• Juice from 2 to 3 large pomegranates, or 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup canola oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For the pear salad
• 1/2 cup arils from 1 to 2 large pomegranates
• 1 pound salad greens
• 1/2 cup sliced honey-roasted almonds
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 2 ripe d'Anjou pears, peeled and sliced

Prepare fresh pomegranate juice. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pomegranate juice, white vinegar, lemon juice and zest, honey and Dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare salad: Slice pomegranates in half and free the arils (seeds) from white flesh with a fork or spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup and put aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)

Toss the salad greens with just enough dressing to lightly coat. Top with almond slices, blue cheese crumbles and sliced pears. (Slice the pear at the last minute to prevent browning.) Garnish with fresh pomegranate arils.

Makes 8 side salads, or 2 to 3 meal-sized salads.

-- Pom Wonderful (pomfresh.com)

Warm Wilted Winter Salad

Butterhead lettuce -- so dubbed because of its buttery texture -- holds up particularly well in this old-time favorite, says Beth Smith of Oak Hill Farm in Avella. For this recipe, she and her husband, Oren, use the bibb lettuce they grow hydroponically in a greenhouse and sell at downtown Washington's Winter Market at Ivy Green. But you could also substitute Boston lettuce, which has equally large, loose leaves. Serve with toasted bread spread with a tasty fromage from Emerald Valley Farms (also available at the Winter Market) for a light, locally produced supper.

• 8 cups bibb or Boston lettuce, rinsed, drained and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 2 heads)
• 6 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp. Drain and crumble. Reserve pan drippings. Add onion to drippings and cook until tender.

Add vinegar, water, sugar and bacon crumbles, stir, and cook until boiling.

Place prepared lettuce in a bowl, and add the hot dressing. Toss to coat. Garnish with radish and egg, and serve immediately with a warm, crusty bread.

Serves 6 as a first course, or 2 to 3 as a main course.

-- Beth Smith, Oak Hill Farm

Roasted Apple & Cheddar Salad

PG tested

The tang of a vinegar-based dressing is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the roasted apples and velvety texture of baby spinach.

• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons apple juice or cider
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• For apples and salad
• 2 apples, preferably Fuji, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 teaspoons 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I substituted pecans)
• 3 cups baby spinach or torn spinach leaves
• 3 cups torn Boston lettuce
• 3 cups curly endive
• 2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare dressing by whisking together vinegar, apple juice (or cider), oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Toss apples with 2 teaspoons oil and thyme in a medium bowl; spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast, turning once or twice, until the apples are soft and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard fresh thyme, if using. Let cool. While apples are roasting, toast walnuts in a small baking pan until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Combine spinach, lettuce and endive in a large bowl; toss gently to mix. Divide the greens among 6 plates, drizzle with the dressing and top with cheese, the roasted apples and the toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 11/2-cup servings.

-- "Eating Well: 500 Calorie Dinners" by Jessie Price, Nicci Micco and the Eating Well Test Kitchen (Countryman, $24.95)

Back Forty's Tuscan Kale Caesar Salad with White Spanish Anchovies

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Back Forty, a casual neighborhood restaurant in Manhattan's Lower East Side, is an especially rewarding brunch spot. A month later I was still craving their take on theCaesar, made with kale instead of romaine and garnished with fried chickpeas. Fortunately, I can now make it myself. The recipe makes more dressing than you'll need, but it keeps in the fridge for about a week, and it's a wonderful dip for crudite.

-- China Millman

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 1 cup grapeseed oil or a mix of olive oil and canola oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce
• 4 white Spanish anchovies (optional)
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas, as dry as possible
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil, for frying
• 2 bunches kale

Make dressing by pureeing yolk, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor for a minute. Then, in a slow steady stream, add grapeseed oil to make a mayonnaise.

Once the mayonnaise is made, add the parmesan, Worcestershire and Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste. If using anchovies, you can add them now as well. If the dressing is on the thick side, add a tablespoon of water at a time to loosen it; you want the dressing to be a loose, creamy consistency. This recipe will make about 11/2 cups, and holds well in the refrigerator for at least a week.

To fry chickpeas, heat olive oil in a thick, heavy-bottomed pan, preferably cast iron, until a chickpea dropped into the oil immediately begins to sizzle, but doesn't immediately start to brown. Fry chickpeas in small batches until golden brown on all sides -- be careful, you don't want to cause the oil to boil up too much. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.

To finish salad, lightly grill or saute 2 bunches of kale (coarsely chop kale before cooking if sauteeing, after if grilling). Let cool and toss with dressing. You can top salad with a bit more shaved parmesan and a handful or so of crispy chickpeas per plate.

Serves 4.

-- Chef de Cuisine Shanna Pacifico at Back Forty Restaurant

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