Photo: Quentin Bacon
This fennel salad is the product of a serendipitous discovery my daughter Bella made one day in the kitchen, a kind of you-got-your-peanut-butter-in-my-chocolate moment. I was slicing fresh fennel for a salad while she was snacking on a nectarine. After sneaking a nibble of the fennel between bites of fruit she quickly declared the combination a must-try. Indeed, sweet juicy nectarine and crisp fennel are a winning duo, made even more scrumptious, as I discovered later in my test kitchen, tossed in orange-shallot vinaigrette and topped with a savory crumble of crisped prosciutto.
Nectarine and Fennel Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Ingredients
2 ounces sliced prosciutto ham
Cooking spray or oil
1 head of Boston or Bibb lettuce (10 ounces)
½ medium bulb fennel
2 medium nectarines
½ medium shallot
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Slice the prosciutto into ½ inch strips. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with cooking spray or brush it with oil, and heat it over a medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ham is crisped and browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool while you prepare the salad.
Tear the lettuce leaves into a large salad bowl. Core and thinly slice the fennel and add it to the bowl. Pit the nectarines, slice thinly and add to the bowl. Finely dice the shallot and place it in a small bowl. Add the orange juice, oil, vinegar and salt and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Serve salad topped with crispy prosciutto and pepper.
Makes 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 ½ cups
Per serving: Calories 140; Total Fat 9 g; (Sat Fat 1.5 g, Mono Fat 5.5 g, Poly Fat 0.8 g); Protein 6 g; Carb 12 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 490 mg
