Melon & Gorgonzola Salad with Arugula & Crispy Prosciutto
Many of us know and love the classic combination of melon and prosciutto, which is why it was my inspiration when updating the Melon-Blue Cheese Appetizer recipe in my Nani's (Italian grandmother) Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The new version of the recipe uses prosciutto that has been crisped in the oven, and this may be controversial, but crispy prosciutto might even be better than bacon. I know, I said it. The original recipe involves dipping melon skewers into blue cheese dressing, but here I've converted it into an easy and impressive salad.
Here's what you need:
1/2 Cantaloupe (seeds removed)
4-5 Thin Slices Prosciutto
1/4 lb Gorgonzola Cheese
2 Handfuls Baby Arugula
1/4 c. Olive Oil Mayonnaise or Canola Mayonnaise
1/4 c. Plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 Lemon
1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Here's how to make it:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and space the prosciutto slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake the prosciutto in the oven for 10 minutes, or until it is as crispy as a potato chip. Cool.
Use a pairing knife to remove the rind from the cantaloupe and cut it into 1/4 inch slices, then cut those slices in half. Lay cantaloupe out in a single layer on a serving plate and set aside.
Using a fork, crumble the gorgonzola onto a cutting board and place half of it into a bowl, trying not to manhandle it too much as it will turn an unpleasant grayish color. To the bowl, add the mayonnaise, yogurt, olive oil, and squeeze in the lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix well, and set aside (note that it should be delightfully lumpy).
To assemble the salad, top the melon with arugula, break the prosciutto into pieces and sprinkle over the melon and arugula, then dot with the gorgonzola dressing. Top each dollop of dressing with the remaining gorgonzola crumbles, and enjoy!
