I don’t often discuss processed meats, but the topic of charcuterie boards, and more specifically prosciutto, came up in conversation last week. ( Don’t you love food talk!? These are the best conversations in my day! ) So get ready, because today is all about prosciutto!
I live by an 80/20 rule of balanced eating, so yes, I do delight and indulge in these meats from time to time. With that said, I am very conscious of the source of these cured meats and the ingredients used in them.
I am also a huge fan of presenting a beautiful display of food, and a charcuterie board, with or without meat, is a great way to express my creativity. I often wonder why I didn’t get into catering. Charcuterie boards are definitely a lot of fun to design and I don’t always wait for a special occasion to whip one of these up. I will often prepare a plate-for-one. 🙂
What is Prosciutto?
In Italian, prosciutto simply translates to “ham.” and is a seasoned, salt-cured, aged, air-dried ham. You’ll often see these thinly sliced pieces available in your local deli. They supply a good source of protein and various vitamins and minerals such as iron, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folate (B9), and vitamin B12.
B vitamins support enzyme function and various cellular functions, playing an important role in general health and wellness. A regular intake of dietary thiamine is necessary for maintaining healthy blood levels. Furthermore, prosciutto’s main fatty acid is oleic acid which is actually a “heart friendly” fat. Compared side-by-side with bacon, prosciutto is considered the healthier option since it is lower in calories and fat.
As a general rule, limiting processed meats – including Prosciutto – is still recommended. If you decide to eat prosciutto, one serving should be about 2-4 ounces, or about 2-4 slices and should only be eating in moderation.
Any Way You Slice it
Prosciutto is often wrapped around a chunk of cheese, or skewer it alongside olives and fresh fruit. Here are a couple different ways to eat prosciutto, in moderation of course 🙂
- Slice the prosciutto pieces in half. Wrap one piece around one slice of avocado. Repeat until all of the avocado slices are wrapped. Top with sea salt and black pepper.
- Gently wrap the cantaloupe slices with prosciutto.
- Divide the arugula, sliced pear and goat cheese evenly among the prosciutto slices. Tightly roll them into wraps.
- Preheat oven to 450ºF (232ºC). Wrap asparagus spear in prosciutto & place on baking sheet to bake for 10 minutes.
- Wrap the figs with prosciutto and enjoy!
- Gently wrap the apple slices with prosciutto and top with dill.
- Assemble prosciutto, cheese of choice, cucumber, olives onto a plate.
- Gently wrap each dried apricot with prosciutto.
- Take a barbecue skewer and thread a piece of peach, prosciutto, bocconcini, and a basil leaf one at a time. Repeat with each barbecue skewer.
Try This tasty Casserole Recipe Topped with prosciutto
Spicy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups Mini Potatoes halved
- 1/2 Yellow Onion chopped
- 1/4 cup Avocado Oil
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 2 tsps Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 283 grams Chicken Breast skinless, boneless, cubed
- 4 cups Broccoli cut into florets
- 56 grams Prosciutto sliced into small pieces
- 2 stalks Green Onion sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Add the halved potatoes and chopped onion to a casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, make the sauce by adding the avocado oil, hot sauce, smoked paprika and sea salt together and stir. Pour half of the dressing over the potatoes and onion and set the rest aside. Place the potatoes and onion in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- While the potatoes are baking, lightly brown the chicken in a pan on the stovetop. Once browned, add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining sauce and broccoli. Mix well.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and add the chicken/broccoli mix on top along with the prosciutto. Place back into the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven, top with sliced green onion, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- No Prosciutto – Omit or use cooked bacon instead.
- Less Spicy – Omit the hot sauce.
- Leftovers – Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to three days.
- Vegan & Vegetarian – Use cubed tofu instead of chicken and omit the prosciutto.
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