A great green salad has always been a staple on my restaurant menus and on my table at home. The combination of Dijon mustard, good-quality vinegar, and olive oil gives tender green leaves their raison d’être. There is no olive oil in this dressing and it still tastes great. I kept the Dijon mustard in the mix because it’s very low in fat—and because few ingredients can pack a punch like Dijon mustard. Yogurt, lemon juice, and aromatics like tarragon and fennel round out the dressing. You’ll never again eat a green dressed with artificial-tasting, gloppy, low-fat dressing.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Dressing:

1 small fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped

　　8 garlic cloves

　　1/4 cup water

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

　　3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

　　1/2 cup Greek yogurt

　　1/4 cup fresh tarragon, whole leaves

　　

Salad:

One 7-ounce package (8 cups) green-leaf lettuce mix, such as Ready Pac Parisian

　　8 large radishes, sliced thin

　　1 cup grape tomatoes

　　1 small red onion, sliced thin

　　1 small cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half-moons

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

To prepare the dressing: Combine the fennel, garlic, and water in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the vegetables are completely tender, about 8 minutes.

　　

Step 2

In a blender, combine the cooked fennel and garlic, any remaining juices, and the lemon juice. Puree the mixture until it is smooth. Let the puree cool slightly, still in the blender. Then add the mustard, yogurt, and tarragon, and puree until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste; chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

　　

Step 3

To prepare the salad: In a large bowl, combine the greens, radishes, tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber. Toss the salad with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 4

Fat: 27g (before), 3.1g (after)

　　

Step 5

Calories: 350 (before), 119 (after)

　　

Step 6

Protein: 4g

　　

Step 7

Carbohydrates: 19g

　　

Step 8

Cholesterol: 8mg

　　

Step 9

Fiber: 5g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 638mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.