Trimmer French Vinaigrette

1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons (or to taste) red or white wine vinegar

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 large shallot (about 1 ounce), peeled, ends trimmed and cut into chunks

Make slightly thickened broth: Add all but 2 tablespoons broth to a small saucepan and place over high heat. While broth comes to a boil, whisk cornstarch into reserved broth and then whisk into broth when it comes to a boil; cook for 10-20 seconds or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

After broth cools, add ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons of thickened broth, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and mustard to a blender, cover and blend for 30 seconds or until well-combined. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or vinegar.

Add shallot to blender, cover and blend, pulsing on-and-off until shallot is minced. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve. Makes 1 cup.

Nutrition values per two tablespoons (without added salt): 23 calories (65.9 percent from fat), 1.7 g fat (0.2 g saturated fat), 2 g carbohydrate, trace amount fiber, 0.3 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 66 mg sodium.

LeanNote: 65.9 percent calories from fat; what's going on here? If you made this dressing using the ¾-cup of olive oil for which it originally called, 2 tablespoons of dressing would deliver 184 calories (99.5 percent from fat) and 20.3 fat grams. There are so few calories in my dressing coming from carbs and protein that the percentage of fat calories seems high, even though the amount of fat is very low.

Don Mauer