Recipe: California Green Salad with Tarragon Dressing

CALIFORNIA GREEN SALAD WITH TARRAGON DRESSING

"This colorful salad with tarragon dressing shows how well the herb works in a vinaigrette. Vibrantly touched with citrus, it uses just one teaspoon of oil to dress a salad ample for four. The model for this salad is one I enjoyed in a Los Angeles restaurant where eating food that looks and tastes good is as important as how good you look."

1 tsp. finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper
4 cups mesclun mixed baby salad greens, washed
1 medium carrot, peeled
1/2 cup canned and drained mandarin orange sections (about 1/2 can)
2 Tbsp. toasted walnuts (see Note)

For the dressing, place the onion, tarragon, juice, vinegar and salt in a small jar. Cover and shake well. Add oil and pepper. Shake again. This dressing can be made up to 8 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Place salad greens in a serving bowl. Slice the carrot, cutting it into the thinnest possible diagonal slices. (A Japanese-style vegetable slicer, if you have one, is ideal for this.) Stack the carrot slices, 4 or 5 at a time, and cut lengthwise into very thin strips.

Scatter the julienned carrot over greens. Arrange the orange sections on top of the carrot. Coarsely chop the nuts. Sprinkle them over the salad.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until it is coated. Serve.

Note: To toast the walnuts, place them in a pie pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees about 5 minutes, or just until they smell fragrant and feel crisp. Cool before chopping.

Makes 4 servings, each containing 64 calories and 4 grams of fat
Source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research