Recipe: Fresh Dill Dressing, Honey Poppy Seed Dressing, Raspberry or Strawberry Vinaigrette (Article: Making a Splash with Lite Vinaigrette)

MAKING A SPLASH WITH LITE VINAIGRETTE
Source: the American Institute for Cancer Research

Salads featuring spring vegetables and fruits are so fresh and flavorful that it's a shame to shroud them in a heavy dressing. So think light and splash on a tasty vinaigrette with a focus on flavor and a minimum of fat.

Vinaigrettes bring together an assortment of aromatic ingredients, subtly blended to enhance the flavor of vegetables and fruits. Tart and tangy, they form an uncooked sauce that can transform a simple salad into a very special dish.

Traditional vinaigrettes are translucent mixtures of oils, vinegars and herbs. The oil of choice for many salads is olive oil, with its strong flavor and rich color. Delicately flavored salad ingredients, however, do better with vinaigrettes featuring nut oils: almond, walnut, hazelnut and peanut - or the subtly-flavored oils made from seeds, such as apricot kernel or avocado.

Vinegar is blended with oil to add flavor and color. Available in a wide variety, the most traditional choice is wine vinegar - red, white or rose - or fruit-flavored versions such as raspberry vinegar. An alternative to vinegar is citrus juices, including lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, which can be used for a distinctive, fruity taste.

Although vinegars infused with herbs are always available, springtime's harvest of fresh herbs impart natural freshness, color and flavor.

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FRESH DILL DRESSING
Fresh dill makes a sensational dressing for salads: combine 1 tablespoon each of safflower oil and virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, the finely-chopped white parts of 3 scallions, 2 tablespoons finely-cut fresh dill and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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HONEY POPPY SEED DRESSING
Seasonings like poppy seeds are a good foil for the tangy taste of fresh fruit salads, and give an extra zest to this dressing: combine 1/3 cup each red wine vinegar and olive oil, 1/4 cup honey, 3/4 teaspoon ground mace and 4 teaspoons each poppy seeds and minced onion.

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RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries*
1/4 cup red wine or raspberry vinegar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

In 5-cup blender, combine raspberries and vinegar. Process until pureed. Sieve mixture to remove seeds; discard seeds.

In small bowl, combine sieved raspberry mixture, oil, honey and ginger.

*Note: One cup of fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries may be substituted for the raspberries. (Pureed strawberries do not require sieving.)

Makes 6 servings, each containing 61 calories and 5 grams of fat