In These Salads, Grains Sometimes Play a Supporting Role I'm taking stock of my pantry as I do every summer, and I've found a number of jars, boxes and bags of grains with small amounts left in them - a half cup here, a quarter cup there, at most a cup. I put them all on my worktable last week and devised a salad for each of them. Some of the salads were more about vegetables and herbs than grains; it just depended on how much of the grain I had to work with. When a grain is not the main ingredient in a salad you appreciate it for its texture and for the nutty flavor it contributes to the dish. Authentic Middle Eastern tabouli, for example, is a parsley salad to which a small amount of fine bulgur adds a bit of substance. I made a tabouli of sorts this week with lots of parsley and a little bit of barley, and I made a kale salad with a little bit of quinoa added. Both of these I served as side dishes or starters. I had a bit more bulgur, couscous and brown rice on hand so I used them for more substantial salads, one that combined bulgur and greens, another that mixed an assortment of different grades of brown rice and a little bit of farro with roasted red peppers, herbs and feta. I used the remains of a box of whole wheat couscous and a little bit of sorghum (you can also use Israeli couscous) to show off my tomato crop. They were all perfect dishes for hot summer days. Those that don't call for seasonal summer vegetables will also be great at any time of year. Kale and Quinoa Salad With Plums and Herbs Summary: Quinoa contributes texture and protein to this sweet and pungent mix I was so taken with the spicy, sweet and savory mix of flavors in the soba salad with eggplant and pluots that I made a few weeks ago that I decided to use the same formula for a kale and quinoa salad. The kale is the main ingredient here, with quinoa adding texture and bulk. 1/2 cup quinoa 3 cups stemmed, slivered kale 1 serrano or Thai chiles, minced (optional) 1 to 2 ripe but firm plums or pluots, cut in thin slices 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped, torn or cut in slivers 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional) Grated zest of 1 lime 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 garlic clove, minced or puréed 3 tablespoons sunflower or grapeseed oil Rinse the quinoa and cook in a pot of rapidly boiling, generously salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, return to pot, place a towel across the top and replace the lid. Let sit for 15 minutes. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels and allow to cool completely. To cut the kale, stem, wash and spin dry the leaves, then stack several at a time and cut crosswise into thin slivers. Toss in a large bowl with the quinoa, chile, herbs, and half the plums. Whisk together the vinegar, lime zest and juice, salt to taste, garlic and sunflower or grapeseed oil. Toss with the salad. Garnish with the remaining plums and serve. Yield: Serves 4 to 6 Advance preparation: The quinoa can be cooked up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The salad is best served right away. Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 214 calories; 12 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 24 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 118 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 5 grams protein Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 142 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 16 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 79 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 3 grams protein