Bitter Greens Salad with Peas and Prosciutto
In this springtime salad, pleasantly bitter greens are tossed with sweet peas and crispy prosciutto before being topped with nutty Parmesan, resulting in a marvelous combination of contrasting flavors and textures. A creamy dressing enriched with buttermilk and sour cream ties everything together. Serve as a first course for a celebratory meal or enjoy with chunks of hearty bread for a satisfying lunch.
Ingredients
For the buttermilk-Parmesan dressing:
- 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) buttermilk
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
- Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the salad:
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz./235 g) fresh or thawed frozen peas
- 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 lb. (125 g) thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
- 4 heads Belgian endive, stemmed and quartered
- 1 large head radicchio, stemmed and cut into strips
- 3 bunches watercress, tough stems removed
- 1-oz. (30-g) chunk of Parmesan cheese
Directions
To make the dressing, in a blender, combine the buttermilk, olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, garlic and cheese and blend on high speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the sour cream and a generous amount of pepper and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.
To make the salad, bring a saucepan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Add the peas to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Using a strainer, scoop out the peas and refresh them in the ice water. Scoop them out of the ice water with the strainer and set aside.
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
In a large bowl, combine the endive, radicchio, watercress and peas. Add the prosciutto and dressing and toss to coat. Shave the cheese over the salad and season generously with pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen