Asparagus, Melon, and Prosciutto Salad

Have you ever had baked prosciutto?  Your life is about to change if not…

 

The melon-prosciutto combo is a classic one, as is the prosciutto-asparagus, so why not throw them all together in a salad and devour all that deliciousness in one scrumptious bite?!

I can’t take full credit for this goodness though… a few years back, I found a recipe of  Giada’s that inspired this.  It had asparagus, prosciutto, melon, and mozzarella- like a cheesy melony asparagus pile.  I made it a few times… I loved the combo of flavors.

Eventually though, I started playing around with it- seeing how I could spruce it up in new ways.  I finally landed on this- it’s a fresh, filling, and unique salad perfect for a hot summer day or holiday potluck.  Or any other day for that matter.  There’s fresh greens, parmesan, and lots of lemony goodness… it’s a tasty balance of sweet, sour, and savory all in one.  🙂

   

Let’s get back to that prosciutto for a second though, that life-changing stuff.  Most tend to leave prosciutto soft, maybe stacked on a cracker or wrapped around a melon piece.  But, baked, I tell you, takes it to a whole new level.  It’s salty, crunchy, and perfectly crisp.  You won’t stop eating the stuff.  In fact, I highly recommend you make a few extra pieces just to nibble on while you cook.  Soon, you’ll be throwing it on everything.  😉

   

Pine nuts can be pricey.  They’re super delicious with these flavors, but if they’re breaking the bank, feel free to substitute in pistachios or almond slivers instead.  Both are super good on salads like this.  🙂

  

The Players

serves two

for the salad…

6-8 asparagus

4 slices prosciutto

1 cup cantaloupe, use a melon baller or chop into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp toasted pine nuts (I buy these soaked & sprouted ones for easy digestion!)

3 cups fresh greens (butter lettuce, romaine, etc)

approx. 10 shavings fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

for the dressing…

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp honey (make sure your honey is real!)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

approx 2 tbsp olive oil, to taste

The How-To’s

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• Cut or break the ends off the asparagus spears off… they’re not good for eating.  Stringy 😮
• Lay the spears on one half of a baking sheet  and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper (Alternatively, you can grill the spears)
• On the other half of the baking sheet, lay the prosciutto out, making sure it’s not overlapping

• Bake the asparagus and prosciutto for about 10 minutes,
• until the prosciutto is crisp and the spears are tender  (if the spears are on the larger side, they may need a few extra minutes)

• Lay the prosciutto over a paper towel to cool

• Meanwhile, use a melon baller or knife to cut melon into bite-sized pieces.

• Rinse and dry the greens… I have been growing lettuce (both butter, romaine, and arugula) in my garden- I love it when it’s all fresh this time of year!

• To toast pine nuts, heat a small pan over medium heat, dry (no oil), and add the nuts
• Cook them for about 3-4 minutes, shaking them around every so often, until golden brown and fragrant

   

• To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, and oil

• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired

 

• To plate, lay the spring greens over a large plate or platter

• Top with the toasted asparagus and melon balls
• Break up pieces of baked prosciutto to sprinkle over the salad
• Shave Parmesan cheese over the top, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts,
• and then drizzle the entire salad with the dressing

That’s it!  Serve with a lemon wedge if you’d like and enjoy!!