lettuce

I decided to play with some sweet and salty this week in this fig and prosciutto salad with creamy parmesan dressing.  We had three outrageously hot days here in the PNW followed by two very cool days.  All of these ups and downs in the weather are screaming fall is coming – break out the pumpkin spice!  Even my recipes this week are starting to move into fall flavors (just a little).  Figs are a late summer fruit here in the PNW and I would buy them by the pounds if it were economically reasonable – I’m that much of a fig fan.  Fortunately, I found a reasonably priced tray of figs at Trader Joe’s, so bought them, of course.  The figs that weren’t immediately devoured as a late in the day snack went into this salad.

One of my fondest memories of living in Tularosa, New Mexico was the fig trees.  We had two on the property we were renting – one small fig tree that produced large purple figs and one larger tree that produced an abundance of small green figs.  I would delight in laying in the hammock under the four giant pecan trees in the backyard and occasionally picking a fig.  When we finally land again someplace where we have a yard that’s our own, fig trees will be one of the first things I plant.  There is something just luscious about the firm skin of the fig and the bright pink interior with its little crunchy seeds.

Fig and Prosciutto Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing
Serves 4

Creamy Parmesan Dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a jar and place a lid on tightly.  Shake vigorously until all the ingredients are combined.

Fig and Prosciutto Salad
One head of romaine lettuce, chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
16 – 20 figs, each split in half.
4 slices of prosciutto
Creamy Parmesan Dressing

Divide the lettuce, figs, and prosciutto amongst four bowls or plates.  Drizzle a tablespoon or two of dressing over each.

Enjoy!