One of the ways I've brought down the fat in salad dressing is by incorporating fruit into the blend. Blueberries are a natural for this. Blended with vinegar, a little oil and seasonings, they add body and flavor to homemade vinaigrettes. Here, I'm using the dressing on a light lunch salad composed of baby greens, corn, more blueberries and lobster. It's an ode to the New England summer, featuring three of the region's seasonal specialties.
Lobster, Blueberry and Corn Salad With Blueberry Vinaigrette
Servings: 4
MAKE AHEAD:
The corn can be cooked up to a day in advance. The rest of the salad should be made at the last minute.
Ingredients
For the dressing
30 to 40 stems chives, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
1⁄2 cup fresh blueberries, stemmed
Finely grated zest of 1⁄2 lemon (1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
6 cups loosely packed mixed baby greens (2 to 3 ounces)
1 cup cooked corn kernels
1 cup fresh blueberries, stemmed
8 ounces cooked lobster, cut into bite-size pieces
Steps
For the dressing: Combine the chives, blueberries, lemon zest, oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender. Puree until well combined.
For the salad: Place 11⁄2 cups of greens on each plate. Top each portion with 1⁄4 cup of the corn kernels and 1⁄4 cup of the blueberries; divide the lobster among the plates. Drizzle equal amounts of the dressing over each portion. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 200 calories, 14 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar.