Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Figs

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Recipes, Salads

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Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Figs

This is one of my absolute favorite salads despite my usual dislike of sweet savory dishes. The saltiness of the fried prosciutto makes the lightly sweet organic dried figs less cloying and the special texture and richness of the pine nuts all meld together beautifully and hit your palate at different times and complement the slightly bitter arugula. This is not a Mexican recipe, I’ve adapted it from Peggy Knickerbocker and Laurie Smith’s wonderful book, Olive Oil from Tree to Table. I can truthfully say that I have cooked 80% of the recipes.
Salad making became easier ever since I learned Martha Stewart’s trick of putting the dressing at the bottom of the salad bowl, topping it with the salad ingredients to be tossed right before serving.
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Course Salad
Servings 4
Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 thin slices of prosciutto all fat removed, cut into long strips
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 pound fresh baby arugula washed and thoroughly dried
  • 6-8 small dried figs quartered

For Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Fresh ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Have a plate lined with paper towels ready. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch sauté pan. Add the prosciutto slices a few at a time. They will first turn brown and then red when ready. Remove to the reserved plate to drain.
  • Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until lightly golden. Do not let them burn. That will ruin their flavor and you will burn a lot of money. Set aside.
  • Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, stirring well with a whisk, and place in the bottom of the salad bowl.
  • Arrange the greens in the salad bowl. Arrange the fried prosciutto on top, scatter the toasted pine nuts evenly, and add the figs. Toss with the dressing just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 6gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 587mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2701IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 3mg
Keyword arugula, figs, prosciutto
NOTE: Nutrition values are approximate and for informational purposes only. Values do not include optional or alternate ingredients, nor do they include the nutritional values for any secondary recipes that may be listed in the ingredients.