Artichoke and Prosciutto Salad

Artichokes, prosciutto, olives, basil...and OK, even tomatoes...what's not to love?  I am not a huge fan of tomatoes that are not made into a salsa or pasta sauce, but even threw some cherry tomatoes into this salad for myself.  Quartered of course, not whole. The beauty of this salad is that you could also skewer most of the ingredients and make an appetizer out of it.  I made something similar in my guest post for Popsiculture on Hosting a Tapas Party with the skewer of basil, avocado, Kalamata olive, and artichoke heart.

This is a super easy dish - perfect for lunch or even as a first course at a dinner party.  i was inspired by a recipe I found in a cookbook that I have owned for years called "Classic Italian Recipes" - I think it was one of those Costco finds, all I know is that I have used it for years!   I added a few pieces of burrata to the salad as well, I couldn't resist.

Artichoke and Prosciutto Salad
Serves 4
Recipe adapted from "Classic Italian Recipes"

12 oz marinated bottle of quartered artichokes, drained
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup halved Kalamata olives
8 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, julienned
4 oz burrata, cut into bite sized pieces
fresh basil sprigs, to garnish

Dressing
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons course ground Dijon mustard
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine the artichokes, tomatoes, olives, and prosciutto in a mixing bowl.  Toss gently to combine.

To make the dressing, put all of the ingredients into a screw-top jar and shake vigorously until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together.

Transfer the salad to individual plates, sprinkle the torn basil on top, add the pieces of burrata to each plate, and garnish each with basil sprigs.  Serve immediately.

Burrata Sandwich with Prosciutto and Basil

I am slowly but surely getting the blog caught up on the Burrata dishes I made last month!  This is a super easy sandwich and can really be made with anything - but I tried to keep it simple  Feel free to pile on your favorite ingredients - just don't forget a couple of slices of Burrata! I paired this sandwich with a small arugula salad tossed with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Burata Sandwich with Prosciutto and Basil
Serves 1

2 slices of good artisan bread (I used the Kalamata Olive Bread I had leftover from the Bruschetta I made)
2 slices of Burrata 
Few slices of prosciutto
Basil leaves
Pepper
Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar

On the base of one of the slices of bread, add the Burrata , sliced prosciutto, and basil leaves.  Top with pepper along with a few dashes of olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.  Add the second slice of bread, slice in half and enjoy!

Arugula, Prosciutto, and Mascarpone Cheese Bundles

We recently hosted our monthly Couples Euchre night and I made these yummy little treats I found in my Crescent City Collection cookbook by The Junior League of New Orleans.  The hubby suggested I shape them into a Christmas tree....I should have probably added a stump!  But they were tasty, nonetheless and gone by the end of the night!

Arugula, Prosciutto, and Mascarpone Cheese Bundles
Makes 24 Bundles

Recipe courtesy of Crescent City Collection from The Junior League of New Orleans

12 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoons capers
12 large thin slices of prosciutto
1 bunch arugula

Mix cheese, chives, and capers in a bowl.  Lay a slice of prosciutto on a work surface.  Spread with 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture.   Arrange a few leaves of arugula on the top so that the leaves slightly hang over the edge.

Roll the prosciutto up like a jelly roll.  Cut the roll in half and stand on the flat end so that the arugula leaves show on top.  Repeat with the remaining prosciutto, cheese mixture and arugula.  Arrange on a server platter.