This Is Not a Potato Salad

This low-fat side dish is more like a vegetable salad made with potatoes than a conventional potato salad. The potatoes are roasted at a high temperature, first being sprayed with olive oil cooking spray to help them brown.

Meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients. The fastest way to roast a bell pepper is to hold it over a gas stove top burner with a long-handled barbecue fork (if using a table fork, hold the handle with a hot pad or oven mitt so you don’t burn your hand). Or you can cook the pepper on a rack under a broiler, turning until all sides are charred, 10 or 15 minutes.

Whichever method of roasting you use, as soon as the pepper is completely softened and charred all over, put it into a paper bag or covered bowl and let it stand about 15 minutes to steam so the skin will slip off easily.

The dressing is very light because it uses scarcely any oil--only 2 teaspoons of good olive oil for flavor. Chicken broth substitutes for the rest of the oil that would go into a vinaigrette.

Arugula, also known as rocket, adds texture and pungency to this great-tasting salad. For the best flavor, serve this salad at room temperature.

POTATO SALAD WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

2 1/2 pounds red boiling potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

3 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt

Cracked black pepper

1 yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, cored, seeded and diced

1 cup chopped green onions

3 tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup nonfat chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 bunch arugula

Spray both potatoes and interior of 15x10-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle garlic over potatoes and season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Arrange potatoes in single layer.

Roast at 475 degrees until fork tender and well browned, about 40 minutes. Turn with spatula several times during cooking to prevent sticking. Let cool to room temperature and transfer to bowl.

Add bell pepper, green onions and tomatoes and toss together. Stir in cilantro.

Combine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, broth and lemon juice. Stir in cilantro and pour dressing over vegetables and toss. Remove any tough stems from arugula, break up large leaves and stir into salad.

9 cups. Each 1-cup serving:

130 calories; 56 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.90 gram fiber.

* Cote d’Azure “Zodax” dinnerware from Stephen Young showroom at the L.A. Mart, Los Angeles.