Instructions: Spray a medium sized skillet. Soften the thinly sliced leek or other mild onion over medium heat until almost caramelized.

Meanwhile, measure the tomatoes (half a can). Drain the juice into a blender. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet, season with pepper.

Continue to cook until the onions taste caramelized.

Allow the tomato-onion mixture to cool somewhat then transfer to the blender. Add the remaining ingredients and half of the juice. Puree and add more juice as needed to thin.

Description: "A southwestern dressing with a lot of flavor! Dress pasta and potato salads."

Yield: "1 cup"

NOTES : We prefer the piquant V8 over the spicy or plain. The dressing is assertive enough to balance the strong taste of canned albacore.

See Green Bean and Fennel Tuna-Potato Salad. This meal was inspired by "Green Bean-and-Tomato Salad with Roasted-Tomato Dressing," Cooking Light, June 1998, p.85. Dinner last night. Cooking the tomatoes and onions first made a wonderful dressing that balance well with the strong taste of white canned tuna. Enough to feed 2 or 4.

I used V8 but you could substitute one of those fat-free red-pepper salad dressings and/or fruit juice.

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