Now this little gem of a salad is perfect for catching those last rays of sun, and prolonging the summer. As many people do, I enjoy the change of the seasons. However, there is still something melancholic of seeing summer come to an end. To hold the image of summer in place just a little bit longer, you can serve this salad for your family. Even if it’s too cold to have dinner on the terrace, it still looks like sunshine on a plate.
About this salad
How can you resist that vibrant orange colour of the papaya against the deep green of the rocket salad? Simply beautiful with the parma ham, one of the best combinations! Whether you serve this dish for guest or just the family on a weeknight. Of course, once again, it’s a simple recipe, quick and easy to prepare. Most importantly, you can shop for this recipe in most supermarkets nowadays.
Papaya Fruit
Nowadays you can get papaya at most large supermarkets’ exotic fruit sections. The papaya is ripe and ready when it feels soft. Much in the same way that an avocado feels when it is just ripe. When preparing your papaya, you can treat it a little bit like a melon. Peel the fruit whole, then cut it in half and scoop out the plentiful seeds with a spoon. The seeds are edible too, but the taste is quite bitter, so they head for the bin. After that, you can cut up the fruit.
Papaya is a super food with a whole range of beneficial qualities, such as strengthening the immune system, preventing heart diseases, arthritis, and even cancer. All the more reason to make this amazing fruit as part of your daily diet.
Parma Ham
Parma ham comes from the province of Parma in central northern Italy. The history of the Parma ham dates back centuries. Traditional preparation means salting the ham and letting it rest for about two months. Next, the ham is cleaned for salt and left hanging to dry. The maturing process can take up to 18 months, for the unique taste to develop to its full potential. Please look at some of my other recipes featuring delicious Parma ham also to find out more detailed information on the subject.
Delicious snack #1: Parma ham and mozzarella bites
Delicious dessert #2: Parma ham melon salad
Different ideas for Parma Ham
Who would have thought that Parma ham is so versatile? In its fresh form, you can serve it basically just as it is.Make a little antipasti plate, with Parma ham, a little bit of cheese, some olives and sundried tomatoes. Enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine and take a break from the everyday life.
Another variation, that you may have come across in Italy, is pizza with Parma Ham. You can make this yourself easily. Simply a normal pizza dough rolled out and baked with topping of tomato sauce and mozzarella. Next, when the pizza is done, top it off gently with rocket salad and slices of fresh Parma ham. Add some cherry tomatoes cut in half to give acidity and sweetness. These servings beam of Mediterranean sunshine.
However, as autumn is approaching rapidly there are other ways to use Parma ham more in tune with the season. If you make a creamy cauliflower soup, for example, you can take it to the next level with Parma ham. How? Simple. Oven bake some slices on baking paper so they completely dry up. Then crack the baked ham into little pieces and sprinkle on the soup. You now have a beautiful hearty soup, topped off with intense flavoured salty Parma ham sprinkles. Add a little fresh watercress as well and you have a restaurant dish.
Cooking methods
Although Parma ham is excellent simply served freshly cut, you can also use it for cooking. The best way to incorporate Parma ham is to oven bake it. Not just by itself, but wrapping it around other ingredients, thus enhancing their flavours. An excellent example is asparagus wrapped in Parma ham. Parma ham also works well with other sources of animal protein, such as chicken breasts, pork medallions and even cod fish.
Best parings for Parma ham
If you want to use the Parma ham fresh, the best pairings are other fresh ingredients. The classic is with melon, but actually you can make the classic a bit more exotic by switching the melon with papaya. Otherwise, fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella also work well with the rich and salty taste of the ham. When it comes to hot dishes, my favourites are asparagus or figs wrapped in Parma ham and then baked. When baked or grilled, the salty and savory flavour of the ham intensifies and lifts the other ingredients.
Still, what better pairing with parma ham than a good glass of heavy red wine from Italy? I can just imagine myself sipping such wine overlooking the sunset in Italy.
Serving
You can serve the rocket salad with Parma ham alone as a lunch or a light dinner. Perhaps with just a slice of baguette on the side. Otherwise, you can also make it into to a fuller meal, and serve the salad as a side for a grilled chicken breast. I have recently used it as a side dish for a family barbecue, providing a fresh edge to the smoky grilled meat.
What is your favourite way to enjoy Parma ham?
Print
Rocket Salad with Parma Ham, Papaya, Parmesan and Pecans
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 70g (2 oz) rocket/arugula leaves, washed
- 6 Parma ham slices
- 1 papaya, peeled and seeds removed and sliced
- 10 pecan nuts
- 6 slivers of Parmesan
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a big salad bowl and mix.
- Divide evenly between two plates and drizzle with your favourite salad vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 308
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 1363 mg
- Fat: 15.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 21.8 g
- Cholesterol: 59 mg
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Fiona
I just tend to eat it as antipasti! Not very inspired!
Ren Taylor
I love it with melon as a starter x
stuart hargreaves
Wrapped in cheddar sheese
maureen findley
this is absolutely perfect for me
Tracy Nixon
I love it wrapped around chicken and asparagus!
★★★★★
Rebecca Brown
Parma ham is best as part of a cheese and bread finger food feast!
Nick grant
on a salad or sometimes just a sneaky sneak from the packet
Tracey Peach
In a salad at the moment I go through fads with food
★★★★★
laura banks
i had it recently wrapped around asparagus and it was yummy
Kat B
On a pizza with some mushrooms, mmm!
julie laing
with some fruit
Solange
Parma ham, goats’ cheese and rocket canapés.
Suzanne
With melon and cherry tomatoes.
Tracey Belcher
I love it wrapped around halloumi and fried
Dannii
Parma ham adds so much flavour to a salad. I like the idea of adding papaya too.
★★★★★
Jan Bennett
Oh my that looks delicious – I could eat that right now for breakfast!
★★★★★
Jemma
I love sweet and salty salads. The addition of papaya is just genius. Never thought to put it in a salad before.
Susan Hoggett
I like it crisped up on top of a pasta dish
frances hopkins
On crackers
Claire glace
with foccacia bread x
Mary N
I love Parma ham wrapped around herb butter and mozzarella chicken breasts and baked.
amy bondoc
i love it with mozeralla cheese, rocket and balsamic vinegar
Andrea Upton
With some Melon
cheryl hadfield
on multigrain crackers
Jade Hewlett
I like it with melon
Jo Carroll
Pancetta-wrapped trout is simply scrumptious. x
Stephen Wilson
With some melon
Heather Bowie
With melon, yum
Mickie Bull
With cream cheese on Ryvita!
Margaret Clarkson
With my home made focaccia and a salad.
Rich Tyler
As antipasti, with french bread & oil
Iris W
Just on it’s own with crusty bread r wrapped around chicken breast baked in the oven
★★★★★
francis lee
in nice crusty bread and mayonnaise
michelle thompson
i love it crispy on top of salad
elaine malcolm
on a cocktail stick wrapped with melon and cheese
Robyn Clarke
On crusty tiger bread with baby spinach leaves and a dash of balsamic glaze.
★★★★★
Sue Robinson
Wrapped around asparagus is my favourite way to enjoy it.
Catherine Gregory
On a pizza with lots of mushroom and sundried tomaro
Emma Davison
Wrapped round chicken breasts
Claire Little
around chicken breasts
ellie spider
I like it with some sliced potatoes, onions, grated cheese and mushrooms in an omelette
Diana
On it’s own! 🙂
George Wright
I love making an Italian style salad with mozzarella, sun blush tomatoes, basil, olives, rocket and of course Parma ham.
Natalie Crossan
I actually enjoy it on its own 😀 xxx