prosciutto + melon salad

I”m sorry this post isn’t full of gorgeous photographs or even very long. I’ve kind of been taking the month off. I’ve definitely been cooking and eating , but most of all I’ve been spending time with family. So most of my food has ended up on long tables full of sisters, cousins, fathers, daughters and husbands. And so most of my photographs are of us stuffing ourselves.

But we have been eating quite well, and I just wanted to share this quick recipe with you before summer is quite over. It’s a slightly more elegant take on the standby prosciutto and melon.

The way I usually do things is to serve one platter of prosciutto and another of big slices of ripe melon. Then people can help themselves. For one of our dinners I decided I wanted something a bit more elegant, and so decided to turn the melon part of the equation into a salad that sits atop the thinly sliced pork.

Also? Although I’m calling this prosciutto and melon salad, I actually didn’t use prosciutto. I could have. Easily. But instead I used a slightly different, leaner, cut of cured pork: lonza. Feel free to play around with the cured meat portion of the dish. I’m thinking that I may even try thin slices of mortadella topped with a salad dotted with chunks of orange, or bresaola topped with plum.

The constants should be some sort of spicy green (arugula or even watercress) and slightly marinated red onion to give it a savory and tangy bite.

If you play around with it, let me know what you come up with. But if you stick with this recipe? You’ll love it. (what’s not t love?)

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prosciutto + melon salad

Prep 15 mins

Total 15 mins

Author Elizabeth

Yield 2

Easy recipe to play around with. You can make lots of substitutions, with the cured meat and the fruit. Endlessly adaptable.

Ingredients

• 8 thin slices of prosciutto or lonza (enough to cover one small salad plate in one layer
• 1 cup cubed melon
• 1 cup arugula or other spicy greens
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Place the chopped onion in a small bowl, cover with vinegar and salt, and stir. Let sit for 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime layer the meat onto two individual salad plates, in one layer.
3. Place the greens and melon in a salad bowl, and dress with the olive oil, marinated onions and as much of the vinegar as you want to taste. Toss, adjust for taste, and divide over the two plates.