3707

9

recipe

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan  Recipe - America's Test Kitchen

Although frying the prosciutto adds crisp texture to the salad, if you prefer, you can simply cut it into ribbons and use it as a garnish. Honey can be substituted for the jam in any of these salad recipes.

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan

Serves 6

Spicy arugula makes a flavorful salad base, but its complex, peppery flavor also makes it something of a challenge to pair with other ingredients.

We wanted to find ingredient partners that would temper the assertiveness of arugula while accommodating its lively flavor.

Tasters liked salads with fruit and cheese, as the sweet and salty notes offered nice counterpoints to the sharp, peppery arugula. They also liked salads with crunchy elements. But what about the dressing? A vinaigrette made with mustard was too spicy to pair with the arugula; our surprise solution was to add a spoonful of jam. The jam added fruity sweetness, pulling the flavors of the salad right in line. We also discovered that certain winter fruits effectively echoed the flavor of the vinaigrette: we settled on dried figs plumped with balsamic vinegar, fresh red grapes, and juicy orange sections. For salty components, we turned to cured meat and crumbled cheese; slivers of raw fennel and toasted nuts delivered just the right amount of crunch.

Related Content Recipes Arugula Salad with Pears, Almonds, Goat Cheese, and Dried Apricots Arugula Salad with Grapes, Fennel, Gorgonzola, and Pecans Arugula Salad with Oranges, Feta, and Sugared Pistachios Equipment Corner Plastic Wrap Salad Spinners Tasting Lab Are Cheap Parmesans Any Good?—Archived Prosciutto Science Desk Microwave-Toasted Nuts and Sesame Seeds Dicing a Shallot Cutting Up Dried Fruit