Jess Fleming, a Food writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, shared this salad recipe in the Wednesday, November 22, 2017 edition of the Press. She mentioned serving it at a gathering and all of her guests took seconds. She also tells us that the prosciutto crisps are a lighter alternative to bacon, offering a salty element to a salad or soup. If you are not a meat eater, it can easily be left out.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 1 hour (to crisp the ham and roast the squash)
Servings: 6 as a side dish, 3-4 as a main dish
Ingredients:
6 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto
1 small Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped Pecans
2 small Apples, cut into 1-inch dice
6 cups Greens-baby Spinach, baby Kale, Arugala or a mix of all three, which is what Jess used
1/4 cup Olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons for roasting squash
1 Tablespoon Maple syrup
2 Tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
To crisp the ham:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange slices of prosciutto in a single layer, without overlapping, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit in there for another 10 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and snap into pieces. Set aside.
To roast the squash:
1. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. Toss squash with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until lightly golden brown and tender.
3. Set aside to cool.
To toast the nuts:
Toast nuts in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
To make the dressing:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, sherry vinegar and mustard.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the salad:
1. Toss together greens, half the squash, half the apples and the dressing.
2. Top with the remaining squash, apples, pecans and prosciutto. Serve immediately.