RECIPE

Corsican Salad with Serrano Ham and Melon

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 10

For this salad, which Jean-Christophe Royer describes as his Corsican variation on the familiar prosciutto and melon, he cuts the melon into bite-size pieces and arranges it on a bed of dressed greens with figs, ham and toasted pine nuts.

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 10
  • FAST
  • MAKE-AHEAD

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
    1. 3 tablespoons pine nuts
    2. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    3. 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
    4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
    5. 2 large heads lettuce (such as Boston and red leaf), torn into pieces
    6. 1 cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch pieces
    7. 10 small fresh figs, quartered
    8. 8 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham
    9. 1 cup small basil leaves
    10. 1/4 cup chives, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast in the oven about 7 minutes, or until golden.
  2. Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Just before serving, toss the lettuce with 1/3 cup of the dressing, reserving the rest to pass with the salad. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Top with the cantaloupe, figs and ham. Garnish with the basil leaves, chives and pine nuts.