Warm Salad of Roasted Squash, Prosciutto and Pecorino
This recipe is from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Kitchen.
I chose a salad for the last breakfast recipe because – well I wanted to make this but also I think this would make a good brunch sort of meal.
I love butternut squash. I only discovered my love of it in the last couple of years. I think I mentioned somewhere in one of these posts that I started another food blog a couple of years ago, it’s kind of run its course, but I used butternut as my username on that site because I don’t like using my real name and I love butter. Everything’s better with butter. But it prompted me to make some butternut squash dishes and actually I love butternut squash. It’s sweet. It’s got a lovely texture. The seeds are edible and so is the skin if you roast it. Both of which you use in this recipe. And it’s very good for you. Sounds like a good start to the day to me – oh and this has a nice little spicy kick to get you going.
One thing about squash though is that they are really difficult to chop up, I find. I possibly need to invest in a proper set of kitchen knives. This recipe uses large chunks of butternut squash that you then you tear them up into the salad when they’ve cooled a bit. I ended up cutting it in cubes instead. I just cant seem to get the knife to go straight through, it always ends up slicing to the outer edge. I have the same problem with turnips. I have decent enough knives. I think the problem really is a lack of upper arm strength. Anyway I find it easier to cut it up into smaller pieces – if I’m looking for any sort of uniformity in the size of the chunks. So that’s why the good looking ripped up squash look is missing from the photos. The salad is still great though.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small dried red chili
- 1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds
- 20 slices of prosciutto or Parma ham
- 4 handfuls of rocket
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 small block of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190C / 375F / Gas 5.
- Carefully cut the butternut squash in half, keeping the seeds intact. Remove the two ends and discard them. Cut each half into quarters and lay on a roasting tray. (You don't need to peel the squash the skin is edible). Rub the squash with a little olive oil.
- In a pestle and mortar pound up a level teaspoon each of salt and pepper, with the chili and coriander seeds. Scatter this spice mix over the pieces of squash. Roast the squash until soft and golden, about 30 - 40 minutes. Take out and allow to cool a little.
- Divide the prosciutto between 4 plates, don't arrange it too neatly. Tear up the squash and put it in and around the ham. Sprinkle over the roasted seeds and the rocket leaves.
- Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle over over a tiny pinch of salt and pepper. With a vegetable peeler, shave some of the cheese over the salad.
