Recipe: Spinach and strawberry salad with thyme-infused vinaigrette

Total time: 30 minutes, plus steeping time

Servings: 4 to 6

Note: This makes three-fourths cup dressing. Save the remaining dressing, refrigerated and covered, for 1 week.

1/2 cup best-quality olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided (any variety of strongly flavored thyme will work; lemon thyme gives a particularly nice flavor)

4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small shallot, finely minced (1 generous tablespoon)

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1/2 pound baby spinach leaves (about 12 cups), stemmed, washed and dried well, and any large leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, preferably red and yellow, washed, dried, hulled and sliced lengthwise

4 sprigs thyme or strawberry blossoms for garnish

1. Pour the olive oil into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until warm, about 2 minutes, then remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour the oil into a small nonreactive bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme, and allow the mixture to cool and steep, at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

2. Whisk the vinegar into the cooled thyme-oil mixture until well-blended, then whisk in the mustard, shallot, remaining chopped herbs and salt and pepper. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.

3. Place the spinach in a large salad bowl and drizzle the vinaigrette over by spoonfuls, tossing after each addition until the leaves are just slightly glossy with the coating. Pile the salad evenly among 4 chilled plates, and arrange the strawberry slices evenly on top of each. Garnish with strawberry blossoms if available, or with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Each serving: 159 calories; 1 gram protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 316 mg. sodium.