LEAN VINAIGRETTE
& tomato bean & mozzarella salad

What You Need

1/4 cup of Udo’s choice, cold-pressed walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of grape juice or mineral water
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
The finely-shredded zest from 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons of Meaux mustard
2 tablespoons of chopped chives
1 teaspoon of fresh Cajun seasoning or ½ teaspoon of powdered Cajun seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine (optional)
3 tablespoons of fresh herbs of your choice – curry plant, savory, basil, tarragon, thyme, oregano, lovage

Here’s How

Place all the ingredients in a jar and shake together to blend. Cover tightly and put into the refrigerator to chill and steep.

This is the leanest vinaigrette I have ever come across – so lean that it comes out at less than 25 calories per tablespoon. It depends for its flavor on fresh herbs – whatever you happen to have on hand: curry plant, savory, basil, tarragon, thyme, oregano, lovage, the fresher the better – together with pressed garlic or a dash or two of Cajun seasoning. I like to make it with Udo’s choice. But it is equally delicious with cold-pressed walnut oil, or extra virgin olive oil for that matter. Once you make the dressing it will keep in the refrigerator for a week. In fact it’s a good idea to make it a day or two before you actually need it, since the flavor of the herbs improves the flavor of the vinaigrette as they have time to steep.

Tomato bean & mozzarella salad

A perfect example of how simple it is to put together a gorgeous salad is this little wonder I threw together one day when I opened my refrigerator to find not a lot: some mozzarella cheese, a cup of broad beans left over from the day before, and some little yellow and red tomatoes plus fresh basil from my garden. I topped it off with a lean vinaigrette and had it on the table in five minutes.