Monday, June 1, 2009

Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Stack

For the prettiest presentation, choose purple, orange, green, and red heirloom tomatoes. Cilantro lends the dressing peppery flavor and a subtle green hue. Vary the taste of the dressing by using basil and lemon rind. The dressing will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator, so consider doubling the recipe to keep some on hand.

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Dressing:
  • 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Dash of ground red pepper

  • Salad:
  • 4 medium heirloom tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup very thinly vertically sliced red onion
  • 1 cup diced peeled avocado (about 1 small)
  • Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation

1. To prepare dressing, combine first 9 ingredients in a small food processor or blender; process 30 seconds or until pureed, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Cover and chill.

2. To prepare salad, slice each tomato crosswise into 4 equal slices (about 1/2 inch thick). Place 1 tomato slice on each of 4 salad plates; sprinkle slices evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top each serving with a few onion pieces and about 1 tablespoon avocado. Repeat layers 3 times, ending with avocado. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each serving; sprinkle with black pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 115 (59% from fat)
Fat: 7.6g (sat 1.8g,mono 4g,poly 0.9g)
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrate: 11.1g
Fiber: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Iron: 0.9mg
Sodium: 366mg
Calcium: 53mg
Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light, JUNE 2008

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