SUMMER SHORTCUT: PARMA HAM® WITH FRESH PRODUCE

01.05.2006

Summer is a time to indulge in the good life--including restaurant-quality meals--without working up a sweat over the grill or in the kitchen. A cook’s idle daydream? Not when you let simplicity be your guide and rely on the very best ingredients, such as fresh seasonal produce and silky slices of prosciutto imported from the Parma region of Italy.

To make the salad of your dreams, just toss a crisp mix of leafy salad greens with succulent strips of Prosciutto di Parma®, shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toasted pine nuts in a warm balsamic dressing. This extraordinary salad, which can serve as a first course for a special dinner or as a light one-dish supper, is based on a recipe of Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of “The Splendid Table,” a nationally broadcast public radio show, and author of The Italian Country Table (Scribner,1999). She cautions that, if you substitute domestic products for Parma’s world-famous ham and cheese, the results won’t be the same.

Rich-tasting prosciutto with sweet, juicy fruit—especially melon and figs—is a long-anticipated summer delight to place on a pass-around platter or buffet table. For a fresh take on this idea, thread Prosciutto di Parma onto
skewers with melon chunks, kiwi slices and strawberries, glazed with a jalapeño-lime marinade that adds just a hint of sweet heat. Another memorable starter that won’t stress a summer cook: crisp crostini, topped with aromatic blue cheese, plump peach slices and folded pieces of prosciutto.
To capture maximum flavor with minimum fuss, always ask for genuine Prosciutto di Parma. Available in specialty stores and the deli departments of selected supermarkets, the soft rosy slices turn ordinary summer dishes into something spectacular.

SALAD GREENS WITH PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA®
AND WARM BALSAMIC DRESSING

6 cups mixed greens (such as romaine and radicchio) torn in bite-sized pieces
3 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma cut in wide strips (about 1 cup), divided
3/4 cup lightly packed Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (about 1-1/2 ounces), divided
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts,* divided
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion rings, divided
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, halved
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large bowl, toss the greens with half of the Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, pine nuts, red onion, and all of the basil. To prepare Warm Balsamic Dressing: In a medium skillet, over low heat, heat oil. Add garlic; cook and stir until golden, about 3 minutes; remove garlic with a slotted spoon and discard. Increase heat to high; add balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper; remove from heat. Immediately pour over salad; toss gently. Divide equally among four salad plates. Garnish with remaining Prosciutto di Parma, cheese, pine nuts and onion. Serve immediately.
YIELD: 4 portions
* To toast: Place pine nuts in a small skillet; cook and stir over moderate heat until golden.

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PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA® AND BLUE CHEESE CROSTINI

12 diagonal slices (1/2-inch thick)
French or Italian bread, toasted
3 ounces blue cheese, softened (about 1/3 cup)
12 slices ripe peach, nectarine or pear (about 2 medium)
6 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma (about 3 ounces)
cut lengthwise in halves
Spread each slice of toast with blue cheese. Place a peach slice on top, pressing lightly into cheese. Top with a folded piece of Prosciutto di Parma.
Variation: In a small microwaveable cup, combine 2 tablespoons honey and 1 fresh rosemary sprig; microwave on high for 30 seconds; let stand 15 minutes; discard rosemary. Lightly spread honey mixture on toast before spreading with blue cheese.
YIELD: 12 crostini

SPICY FRUIT AND PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA® SKEWERS

12 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma (about 5 ounces)
3 tablespoons jalapeño jelly
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cantaloupe or 1 large mango, peeled
3 large kiwis, peeled
12 medium-sized strawberries

Cut prosciutto slices lengthwise in halves. In a small microwaveable cup, microwave jelly and lime juice on high until liquified, about 30 seconds. Cut cantaloupe in 12 small chunks; cut each kiwi in 4 thick slices. In a large bowl, combine cantaloupe, kiwis, strawberries and jalapeño/lime mixture; toss gently to coat. On twelve small skewers, weave strips of Prosciutto di Parma around alternating pieces of mango, kiwis and strawberries, dividing equally. Serve as an appetizer, on a salad plate or with grilled fish.

Variation:
Peppery Fruit and Prosciutto di Parma Skewers: Replace the jalapeño/lime mixture with a blend of 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Prepare as directed.

YIELD: 12 appetizers

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