Peach and Prosciutto Salad

I told you I was on a salad kick, and this one uses one of my favorite summer seasonal ingredients: peaches. Here in the Texas Hill Country, the peach reigns supreme in summer months. I challenge you to drive down any Farm to Market road and not see at least three peach stands. Do other states still have Farm to Market roads? As I typed that, it seemed a bit strange. Well, in Texas, we still do.

A few weekends ago, a dear friend of mine and her mother-in-law came over for a last-minute ladies brunch. I whipped up a good salad and pasta combo with what I had on hand, and it turned out perfect. With a fresh, simple vinaigrette, this seasonal salad is a great combination of sweet and a little sour.

Don’t ever be afraid to wing it, especially with salads. When building an entree salad on the fly, I have a formula: fresh, crisp lettuce + a protein (chicken, here) + a cheese (goat cheese) + something sweet (candied pecans) + something a little salty (prosciutto) + green onions (almost always) + a super simple vinaigrette.

Recipe: Peach and Prosciutto Salad

2 ripe peaches, sliced

1 cup candied pecans

3 green onions, diced

3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

6 slices of prosciutto, diced

4 to 5 cups cut bib lettuce and/or romaine

2 grilled chicken breasts (left over from dinner from the night before but a store-bought rotisserie chicken would be great), sliced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Dressing

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Wash and prepare lettuce for the salad.

Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a skillet, and saute the prosciutto until slightly crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and let it cool just a bit.

In a bowl, add in the lettuce, peaches, green onions, pecans, goat cheese, grilled chicken, and prosciutto.

Now for the dressing. In a bowl, add in all the listed ingredients. Lightly whisk. And you are done.

Toss the dressing in the salad, and you are ready for lunch (or dinner, for that matter)!

Enjoy!

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